Factores socioeconómicos que determinan la disposición a pagar por la conservación del agua en la comunidad ancestral San Isidro, provincia de Cotopaxi.

Abstract

Willingness to pay is an essential tool that allows us to assign a value to goods and services that do not have a market price, specifically in the field of natural resources. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze the relationship between income, educational level, and willingness to pay (WTP) for water conservation in the ancestral community San Isidro, Cotopaxi province. The results show a high willingness to pay, with nearly 89.72% of households willing to pay for conservation. However, when analyzing the effect of income and education on WTP, no statistically significant results were found, meaning that the proposed hypothesis does not hold true in the local context. This finding indicates that, regardless of economic and social variations, there is a widespread understanding of the importance of water as an essential resource. In San Isidro, the willingness to contribute financially is based mainly on cultural and community reasons. In this context, water protection requires a collaborative approach between the government and local administrations to enhance water management, involvement, and sustainable use.