An analysis of the joint adoption of water conservation and soil conservation in Central Chile

Conserving both water and soil are two of the most pressing issues in international agriculture and food production. This article examines the impact of natural, social, human, and financial capital variables on the adoption of water conservation and soil conservation (WC&SC) as a joint decision, using a bivariate model. The results suggest that the adoption of WC&SC is a joint and complementary decision. The results also indicate that farm size, production system, access to credit, and government incentives are important variables associated with the adoption of conservation measures. From a policy stand point, the institutions in charge of providing incentives and administering instruments intended to promote conservation should take into account the complementarity of the adoption decisions.