Consumers awareness, perception and willingness to pay premium price for Aquaponics fish and vegetable in Ethiopia: Contingent valuation method

Abstract

<em>Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines aquaculture and hydroponics in a symbiotic relationship. Aquaponics has the potential to address food security, environmental and socio-economic challenges in Ethiopia. However, the adoption and diffusion of aquaponics in Ethiopia is limited by the lack of consumer awareness, perception and willingness to pay (WTP) for aquaponics products. This study aims to assess the consumer awareness, perception and WTP for aquaponics fish and vegetable in Ethiopia using the contingent valuation method (CVM). A survey was conducted with 300 randomly selected consumers in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The results showed that only 23% of the respondents were aware of aquaponics, and 67% of them had a positive perception of aquaponics products. The mean WTP for aquaponics fish and vegetable was 36.7% and 32.4% higher than the market price of conventional fish and vegetable, respectively. The main factors influencing the WTP for aquaponics products were income, education, awareness, perception, health concern and environmental concern. The study suggests that there is a potential market for aquaponics products in Ethiopia, but there is a need to increase consumer awareness and education about the benefits of aquaponics.</em>