Economic valuation of natural ecosystems - an empirical study in a stretch of Bramhaputra River in Assam, North-east India

Aquatic resources, like any other natural resources are complex, multi-functional, and provide many ecosystem services. However, their values are often underestimated as most of the services are obtained for free. Valuation can be a powerful tool to recognise the actual values of the precious natural resources which in turn can contribute towards shaping the policies governing their conservation and sustainable utilisation. The study attempted to value selected goods and services of 22 km stretch of Bramhaputra River in Assam. Primary and secondary data were collected from the different stakeholders during 2012. Out of the several goods and services identified in the selected stretch, six categories of goods and services viz., fisheries, navigation, water for domestic use, irrigation, tourism and pilgrimage and sand mining were considered for the valuation exercises. For valuation of the goods and services, the market price method, revenue generation and travel cost method were considered, depending on the situation. It was estimated that the minimum value of these six goods and services were (sic)47.8 crores per annum. Tourism, water for domestic use and sand mining were assessed to be the major components.