TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

THE EOONOMIO OONTEXT 67
can give a first indication of feasibility or nonfeasibility of a rangeresource-improvement
project. Simple comparisons ignore time lags
in phasing different stages into production and can overlook or ignore
costs ofcapital through the developmental stages, exaggerate retums
and feasibility, and underestimate problems that can arise. Budgeting
year-to-year estimated changes through the transition period,
though complicated, will aid in anticipating some of those problems.
IT the project resources are suitable and the project is successful,
changes in physical production responses on a year-to-year basis
may be predictable with some degree of certainty. Price changes
often are unpredictable. Evaluations can be based on longer term
average prices with year-to-year changes in production. Discounting
procedures can be used to allow for valid comparisons of altematives
through time.
Benefits that might accrue from and be attributed to rangeimprovement
projects may include increases in both the quality and
quantity of outputs, depending on factors previously mentioned.
When considering a resource improvement project that produces an
intermediate product, such as forage, then improvement in quality of
output may still be important but is of a somewhat different form.
These are called intrinsic benefits. For example, improvement in forage
quality has one or a combination of the following characteristics:
• Higher protein content
• Lower fiber content
• Higher total digestible nutrient (TON) content
• Greater palatability to some species of animals consuming
the forage.
While some of these characteristics are being improved during
the periods of active plant growth, and on through the periods of
maturity, an added bonus ofresidual plant biomass during periods of
plant dormancy is also useful for soil conservation. A second benefit
could be simply an increased quantity of output.
Marketable output is the benefit most commonly expected from
range projects. The increased physical production may result from:
(1) improving the productivity of the native resourcej (2) expanding
the land area in production by conversion of native range, woodland,
or jungle land to cropland or improved foragej (3) extending complete
or supplemental irrigation water to arid or semiarid landsj or,
(4) improving seasonal water supplies, even in more humid areas.
Production may also be increased without increasing land area when