Valuation of student-led agricultural activities at university: comparison of willingness to pay with inferred values

Agricultural fields in university campuses can improve urban nutrition security, increase greenery, and provide opportunities for students to grow crops and enhance self-management skills. We conducted student surveys among freshmen in two different years (2016 and 2020) to understand their willingness to pay (WTP) for donations toward student-led agricultural activities. In order to mitigate the social desirability bias, we also asked students’ inferred WTP and compared that with conventional WTP. We found that inferred values could determine more conservative and realistic estimations of students’ donations than conventional WTP. Full model regression analysis using logit model estimation showed that students’ interest and engagement in pro-environmental behaviors increased WTP for student-led agricultural activities. In conclusion, such projects are economically feasible through student donations.