Cover image for responseOptionsToRIFA_1.0.0.pdf
responseOptionsToRIFA_1.0.0.pdf
Resource Name:
responseOptionsToRIFA_1.0.0.pdf
File Size:
2.57 MB
Resource Type:
Pdf Documents
Metadata
Title:
Cost-effectiveness of biosecurity response options to red imported fire ants in South East Queensland
Series:
Reports to clients
Publication Date:
11/06/2014
Description:
This publication was produced by ABARES for the National Biosecurity Committee The National Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) Eradication Program was formulated in 2001 following the detection of the pest in Brisbane. By the end of 2011-12, the program had spent a total of $411 million (in 2011-12 dollars). The National Biosecurity Committee asked ABARES to conduct a comprehensive cost-effectiveness analysis to provide information to help shape future policy directions for RIFA. ABARES is publishing the report with the agreement of the National Biosecurity Committee. The work considers the role of recently introduced remote sensing technology to improve surveillance and how sensitive the expected future impacts, program costs, program duration and probability of eradication are to the choice of budget. Key Issues * While the ants have been contained within South East Queensland they have not been eradicated yet. * Testing of the remote sensing technology which started in 2012 to estimate the sensitivity under conditions prevailing in South East Queensland is still continuing. * This study was comprised of analysis of fourteen control scenarios combining: * two different surveillance and treatment budgets ($10.5 million and $21 million a year) * with four different shares of the budget spent on remote sensing; and * two different assumptions about the sensitivity of the remote sensing. * All control scenarios were compared to a reference case where there was no government funded control program and the ant spread was limited by private landholders treating nests on their property. * In the absence of publicly funded control of the ants, the total area of infestation was estimated to increase to 6 million square kilometres in 70 years. At a 7 per cent discount rate, the consequent losses over a 70-year period are estimated to be $8.5 billion (in 2011-12 dollars). * In 13 of the 14 control scenarios considered, the ants were eradicated within 20 years. * The benefits of eradication, for the successful control scenarios were estimated to be in excess of $5.3 billion (in 2011-12 dollars). * These benefits are likely to be conservative because they do not consider non-market impacts other than the loss of access to backyards and outdoor recreation areas. * When the budget was set at $10.5 million a year, the ants were eradicated only when the sensitivity of the remote sensing technology was high. * When the budget was set at $21 million a year, on average, the ants were eradicated with a high degree of probability in about nine years, regardless of whether the remote sensing technology had high or low sensitivity. * The estimated benefits reported in this study are high and suggest that where there is a reasonable chance of eradication it is worth continuing to invest in an eradication program.
Resource URL Description:
0 : Cost-effectiveness of biosecurity response options to red imported fire ants (RIFA) in South East Queensland - Report - PDF [1.1 MB]

1 : Cost-effectiveness of biosecurity response options to red imported fire ants (RIFA) in South East Queensland - Report - MS Word [2.7 MB]
Publisher:
ABARES : Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences : Department of Agriculture
Author:
HAFI Ahmed

SPRING Daniel

CROFT Luke

KOMPAS Tom

MOREY Kristopher
Right Management:
Use constraints: copyright

Other constraints: RIGHTS NOTICE: Unless otherwise noted, copyright (and any other intellectual property rights, if any) in this publication is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia (referred to as the Commonwealth)

Other constraints: LICENSING: All material in the associated publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence, save for content supplied by third parties, logos and the Commonwealth Coat of Arms

Other constraints: ATTRIBUTION: This publication (and any material sourced from it) should be attributed as: Hafi A, Spring D, Croft L, Kompas T and Morey K 2014, Cost-effectiveness of biosecurity response options to red imported fire ants in South East Queensland, ABARES report to client prepared for the National Biosecurity Committee, Canberra, June. CC BY 3.0
Identifier:
ISBN 978-1-74323-189-0
Asset Name:
pc_brifar9aab_20140611_11a