Your search found 55 records
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044822)
(0.37 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044858)
(0.46 MB) (467.56KB)
Micro-entrepreneurship in the informal sector plays a vital role in generating employment and income in West Africa. In this article, the authors examine business success factors for micro-entrepreneurs involved in the production and sale of street foods in Niger, drawing on the resource-based view theory. Business success was measured by size of firm and vendor’s perception of enterprise growth. Their results indicate that business experience is an important success factor, while the need for cash is a constraint for business success. A rare resource, limited access to financial assets translates into limited opportunities for growth of these informal micro-enterprises into viable businesses.
3 Schobitz, L.; Gebauer, H.; Robbins, D.; Otoo, Miriam; Drechsel, Pay; Srikantaiah, V.; Strande, L. 2012. Business model innovations for scaling-up FSM [Faecal Sludge Management] businesses in low- and middle-income countries [Abstract only]. Paper presented at the Second International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, Durban, South Africa, 29 October - 1 November 2012. 1p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045512)
(0.07 MB)
The majority of urban populations in low- and middle-income countries rely on onsite sanitation systems, which produce large amounts of faecal sludge. Collecting and treating faecal sludge could provide a viable business opportunity for private firms or public organizations. Despite the increasing efforts to create sustainable and economically viable businesses in the context of faecal sludge management (FSM), most businesses are still in the mode of securing their existence and maintaining their survival. Success is limited, and businesses have not been able to scale-up. Scaling-up entails reaching a critical mass and being able to cover a certain geographical service area. Scaling-up implies that the business provides reliable emptying services, which are affordable for poor people. An example of scaling-up is that businesses not only provide emptying services, but also faecal sludge treatment and resource recovery. IWMI and Sandec/Eawag are exploring the role of business model innovations in the scaling-up process of faecal sludge management. Our preliminary results suggest two distinct paths on how business model innovations can drive the scaling-up processes: (i) organic business growth; and (ii) replication of micro-enterprises. The first path represents a typical ‘organic’ business growth path. An ‘organic’ business growth means that the FSM enterprise attempts to make a stepwise extension of the business. Critical innovations in the business model refer to the tariff system, business planning and execution, and the market development for value added end-products. As an example, we will present Manila Water in the Philippines, and their success in scaling up FSM. The second path refers to a replication of micro-enterprises. Micro-enterprises are small firms, that specialize in FSM. They are operated with few employees (e.g. entrepreneur, helper, driver). Microenterprises compete with each other, which, in turn, helps lead to affordable prices. To remain profitable, the micro-enterprises have to drive business model innovations. Compared to path one, the business model innovations are not driven by a single organization, but rather through collective actions among the micro-enterprises. Path two illustrates “coopetition”. Coopetition means microenterprises compete to find customers, but cooperate in technology innovation to drive down costs, and innovate treatment technologies and resource recovery. As an example, we will present honeysucker businesses in Bangalore, India. The paper contributes to a better understanding of business challenges in the scaling-up process of FSM. It provides guidance for increasing geographical coverage, enhancing usage of emptying services, and increasing affordability of sanitation services at the household level.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046137)
(1.81 MB)
Market studies in Ghana have revealed a potential for composted or cocomposted fecal matter as nutrient source inputs for agricultural production. To increase the marketability of such products, high nutrient value and easier handling/transporting options are among the significant factors which drive demand. Pelletization is seen as a potentially interesting option to address these challenges. To preserve form stability of the pellet products, the addition of a binding material during the pelletization process is crucial. In Ghana, water, beeswax, clay, and cassava starch have been identified as locally available binding materials. A comparative assessment of these materials as a premier binder suitable for pelletization was performed based on predefined criteria. Quantitative criteria considered included the total amounts available, the seasonal variation during the year and cost. Qualitative criteria such as handling and storage conditions, ease of use during pelletization, and the binding ability were also evaluated. Based on this assessment, clay and cassava-based starch were selected as the most promising binding agents. Currently, clay is abundant in Ghana and this may suggest a guarantee for consistent and stable supply over coming years. However, from the perspective of cassava-based starch, this situation depicts limited production of starch and competition on the local markets.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046210)
(0.67 MB) (2.31 MB)
Sustainable financing can be viewed from two perspectives. According to the first, an adequate mix of public and private financing, and significant reliance on local finance options, for any activity is necessary to avoid dependency on external funding (often project related). The second perspective relates to the purpose of the investment, focusing here on value chains in the sanitation and (peri)urban agricultural (UPA) sectors. This issue, no. 26, is a collaborative effort of the RUAF Foundation and WASTE, both members of the Dutch WASH Alliance. The emphasis is on exploring options for the financing of urban agriculture as part of the sanitation value chain: valorisation of urban waste with clear benefit impacts to the urban and periurban agricultural sector.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046212)
(0.66 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H046964)
8 Otoo, Miriam; Mateo-Sagasta, Javier; Madurangi, Ganesha. 2015. Economics of water reuse for industrial, environmental, recreational and potable purposes. In Drechsel, Pay; Qadir, Manzoor; Wichelns, D. (Eds.). Wastewater: economic asset in an urbanizing world. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.169-192.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H046967)
9 Otoo, Miriam; Drechsel, Pay; Hanjra, Munir A. 2015. Business models and economic approaches for nutrient recovery from wastewater and fecal sludge. In Drechsel, Pay; Qadir, Manzoor; Wichelns, D. (Eds.). Wastewater: economic asset in an urbanizing world. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.247-268.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy SF Record No: H046970)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047601)
(4 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047671)
(1 MB)
Recovering energy from waste offers dual benefits – a) improved waste management, and b) provision of reliable energy to households, institutions and commercial entities. In this report, we present a socioeconomic assessment of three energy business models (briquette manufacturing, on-site (public toilet) energy generation, and agro-waste electricity generation) based on feasibility studies carried out in the city of Kampala, Uganda. We assess the potential economic, environmental and social impacts of waste-to-energy business models taking into consideration a life cycle of emissions to provide decision makers with the overall costs and benefits of the models to society versus a business-as-usual scenario.
12 Otoo, Miriam; Fernando, Sudarshana; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Madurangi, Ganesha. 2016. Opportunities for sustainable municipal solid waste management services in Batticaloa: business strategies for improved resource recovery. [Project report submitted to United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) as a part of the research project on Opportunities for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Services in Batticaloa: Business Strategies for Improved Rresource Recovery and Reuse] Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 71p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048062)
(4.41 MB)
13 Otoo, Miriam; Rao, Krishna; Taron, Avinandan. 2015. Synthesis report on feasibility assessment for the implementation of RRR [resource recovery and reuse] business models proposed for Lima. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) 73p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048073)
(2.09 MB)
14 Otoo, Miriam; Rao, Krishna; Taron, Avinandan. 2015. Synthesis report on feasibility assessment for the implementation of RRR [resource recovery and reuse] business models proposed for Bangalore. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) 73p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Record No: H048074)
(1.80 MB)
15 Otoo, Miriam; Rao, Krishna; Taron, Avinandan. 2015. Synthesis report on feasibility assessment for the implementation of RRR [resource recovery and reuse] business models proposed for Hanoi. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI) 81.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048075)
(1.47 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048076)
(1.99 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048077)
(2.72 MB)
18 Otoo, Miriam; Rao, Krishna; Taron, Avinandan. 2015. Synthesis report on feasibility assessment for the implementation of RRR [resource recovery and reuse] business models proposed for Kampala. Report output of a part of Resource Recovery and Reuse project: from research to implementation. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 73p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048064)
(1.66 MB)
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048169)
(1.33 MB)
Recovering nutrients, water and energy from domestic waste streams, including wastewater and faecal sludge, is slowly gaining momentum in low-income countries. Resource recovery and reuse (RRR) offers value beyond environmental benefits through cost recovery. An expected game changer in sanitation service provision is a business model where benefits accrued via RRR can support upstream sanitation services despite the multitude of private and public stakeholders involved from waste collection to treatment. This paper shows options of how resource recovery and reuse can be an incentive for the sustainable sanitation service chain, by recovering costs where revenue can feed back internally or using generated revenues from reuse to fill financial gaps across the service chain to complement other supporting mechanisms for making waste management more attractive.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048216)
(680 KB)
A choice experiment was used to assess households’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for informational attributes (sources of water used to rear sh, and certi cation) of sh products in Hanoi, Vietnam. The study showed that households’ purchasing decisions are in uenced by their access to information of food product attributes and ascribe an economic value to it. The results indicated that households are willing to pay 51% (USD 1.11 per kg) above the prevailing market price of sh for information to know if wastewater is used to rear the sh they consume. Similarly, they are willing to pay 20% above the prevailing market price of sh (USD 0.43 per kg) to know if freshwater is used as a rearing medium. It is important to note that the increased marginal WTP is for information on whether the sh they consume is raised in wastewater over freshwater. This supports the notion of households’ concern over the safety of consuming wastewater-raised sh. Households are also willing to pay 65% (USD 1.42 per kg) above the prevailing market price for certi ed sh. Based on the cost of sh certi cation and WTP estimates, we found a total economic bene t of USD 172 million for the implementation of a wastewater-raised sh business model in Hanoi. The demand for wastewater-raised sh is likely to be affected by households’ perception of certi cation by a trusted government agency, source of water used to raise the sh, age, income and household size.
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