An economic analysis of wind erosion control in the inner Mongolia Plateau, China

This study investigates specific changes in farming practices aimed at reducing wind erosion from cropland in the inner Mongolia Plateau, China, and incorporates the value of dust reduction in downwind regions into a formal cost-benefit framework, both from the farmer's perspective and society's perspective. The result shows the need for incorporating off-site damages from wind erosion in policy analyses. Measurement of the off-site damages is difficult, especially in a mixed economy such as China's. A conservative estimate was obtained by benefit transfer from a non-market valuation study conducted in a developed country. This conservative estimate was large enough to be decisive in the policy analysis.