Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-10-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:38:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 peixoto_gj_me_ilha.pdf: 3639925 bytes, checksum: e19f2ebbc3c46fda991b86aa7db634e8 (MD5) / No Brasil, existe um problema comum à maioria das comunidades onde o abastecimento público de água é realizado com água superficial e há a necessidade de tratamento. No processo de tratamento ocorre a formação de resíduos na forma de lodo, o qual periodicamente necessita ser descartado do processo. Exceção feita a algumas Estações de Tratamento de Água (ETA), em nível nacional, todas despejam esses resíduos, de forma bruta, sem nenhum tratamento, em corpos de água. O presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de encontrar solução adequada para destinar, de forma correta, o lodo produzido pela ETA da cidade de Presidente Prudente, operada pela Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (SABESP). O estudo baseou-se na premissa em aplicar o lodo da ETA na Estação de Tratamento de Esgotos (ETE), no adensador por gravidade existente. E, para tanto, foi montada uma ETE Piloto, com a qual foram realizadas as simulações de aplicação de cargas de 2000 mg/L e 4000 mg/L de lodo de ETA A avaliação do desempenho da unidade piloto foi conseguida por meio de monitoramento analítico de parâmetros como: pH, temperatura, oxigênio dissolvido, alcalinidade, DBO, DQO, Fósforo, Nitrogênio, sólidos dissolvidos, totais, fixos e voláteis, turbidez, Índice Volumétrico de Lodo (IVL) e Teor de Lodo (TL). Os resultados mostraram que a carga de 2000 mg/L de lodo de ETA no adensador por gravidade, pode ser realizada sem causar problemas. No entanto, com carga de 4000 mg/L, constatou que as aplicações progressivas de lodo devem ser melhor pesquisadas / In Brazil, very common problem to the biggest part of the communities, where the public water supply is realized using the surface water, and needs to pass by the water treatment plant (WTP). In the treatment process, a residue formation in the form of sludge occurs, which periodically needs to be discarded out the process. Except some WTP, on a nation level all they discarded these residues, in brutal way and without treatment, in watercourses. In this work was realized with the objective to finding an adequate solution to properly allocate the sludge produced in the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) from Presidente Prudente, which is operated by SABESP. This study was based in premise to apply the WTP sludge in the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), in the thickener by an existing gravity. And however, it was built a WWTP Pilot plant where were realized the simulations of applying dosages of 2000 mg/L and 4000 mg/L of WTP sludge. The evaluation of the performance of the pilot unit was gotten by analytical monitoring of many parameters as: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, BOD, COD, phosphorus, nitrogen, dissolved solids, fixed and volatile ones, turbidity, Sludge Volumetric Index (IVL) and sludge concentration (TL). The results showed that the application of 2000 mg/l of WTP sludge in the WWTP gravity thickener can be realized without problems. On the other hand the application of 4000 mg/l showed that progressive applications of sludge have to be better researched

Por razões técnicas e ambientais, o lodo gerado no tratamento de águas para abastecimento público deve ser adequadamente tratado antes de ser disposto no meio ambiente. Uma alternativa é a disposição do lodo de ETA em ETE, o que dispensa a implantação da linha de tratamento do lodo na ETA. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os impactos ocorridos na ETE ABC, estação de lodos ativados convencional operada pela SABESP, devido ao recebimento do lodo da ETA Rio Grande. Trata-se de caso particular, pois envolve instalações reais, e pelo fato de a ETA apresentar vazão próxima de três vezes a vazão da ETE (vazão de lodo corresponde a 0,1% da vazão da ETE). Os dados utilizados incluem variáveis de qualidade do efluente (DBO, DQO, SST, SSV, nitrogênio amoniacal e total, fósforo e ferro) e do lodo (sólidos), e parâmetros operacionais das unidades da ETE (vazões, taxas de aplicação superficial e de sólidos, idade do lodo, tempo de detenção, entre outros). Foi possível analisar o processo de tratamento na ETE e comparar seu desempenho entre dois períodos: controle (anos de 2005 e 2006) e com lodo (janeiro de 2007 a março de 2008). Nestes períodos, a ETE operou com 50% de sua capacidade (taxas de aplicação abaixo dos valores de projeto), idade do lodo de 4 dias e taxa de reciclo em torno de 80%. No período com lodo, as variáveis que apresentaram maior aumento de concentração no esgoto afluente foram SST, SSV, fósforo e ferro; o lodo da ETA contribuiu para maiores eficiências de tratamento da fase líquida na ETE, uma vez que houve a manutenção da qualidade do efluente final, nos níveis exigidos pela legislação, mesmo com o aumento das concentrações afluentes. Este aumento de eficiência foi mais acentuado para o fósforo (de 52% para 88%), e maior no tratamento primário, com variações nos parâmetros operacionais que não influíram negativamente no desempenho das unidades. No tratamento de lodo, o maior impacto causado foi o aumento na produção final de lodo (de 50 t/d para 76 t/d). Tais conclusões são então favoráveis ao lançamento de lodos de ETA convencional em ETE de lodos ativados convencional, mesmo nos casos em que a vazão tratada na ETA exceda em muito a vazão da ETE. / For technical and environmental reasons, sludge from water treatment plants should be properly treated before being discharged into the environment. An emerging practice is the disposal of such sludge in WWTP, an alternative that does not require the installation of sludge treatment facilities in the WTP. The main purpose of this research was to study the impacts at the ABC WWTP, an activated sludge process facility operated by SABESP and located in São Paulo, Brazil, due to receiving sludge from the Rio Grande WTP, also located in the same region. It is a particular case due to the fact that the WTP provides a flow of three times the flow treated in the WWTP (sludge flow is 0,1% of WWTP flow). The used data include effluent quality variables (BOD, COD, TSS, VSS, ammonia and total nitrogen, phosphorus and iron), sludge (solids) and WWTP units operational parameters (flow, surface and solid application rates, sludge retention time, hydraulic detention time, among others). It was possible to analyze the treatment process at the WWTP and compare its performance between two periods: control (years 2005 and 2006) and with sludge (from January 2007 to March 2008). In these periods, the WWTP worked with half of its capacity (all loading rates stayed below design values), sludge retention time of 4 days and recycle rate around 80%. In the with sludge period, the quality variables with the highest inflow concentration increase were TSS, VSS, phosphorus and iron. During the same period, the WTP sludge contributed to greater efficiencies in the WWTP treatment process, since the effluent quality was maintained under levels legally required, even with the increase of influent concentrations. This fact is mostly evident in the case of phosphorus (from 52% to 88%), and higher in primary treatment, with changes in operational parameters that did not adversely affect the units performances. In solid phase treatment, the most important impact was the increase in final sludge production (from 50 t/d to 76 t/d). These conclusions are then favorable to the disposal of sludge from conventional WTP in an activated sludge WWTP, even in cases in which the flow treated in the WTP far exceeds the WWTP flow.

Inserção da metodologia de Produção Mais Limpa em Estações de Tratamento de Efluentes (ETE) de indústrias no geral. O conceito fornecido pela Produção Mais Limpa permite sua aplicação aos tratamentos de fim de tubo, não se restringindo somente ao processo produtivo. A aplicação desta ferramenta visa um incremento e a melhoria contínua do sistema de gestão ambiental englobando o tratamento de todo o tipo de poluição gerada, especificamente neste trabalho, os efluentes industriais. As ETE, com um gerenciamento e operação adequados, além de minimizarem os efeitos poluidores dos efluentes gerados nas indústrias a níveis exigidos pela legislação aplicável ou a padrões de qualidade requeridos internamente em seu processo, podem controlar todo o processo produtivo interno a fábrica. Há a possibilidade de através dos diversos parâmetros processuais de controle detectar grande parte dos desvios produtivos ocorridos no interior da fábrica. Com a aplicação da ferramenta de Produção Mais Limpa em Estações de Tratamento de Efluentes Industriais, demonstra-se através de suas diversas metodologias: - A melhoria contínua em todos os processos produtivos e de tratamento de efluentes envolvidos na indústria; - O aumento progressivo das eficiências processuais; - Que investimentos e meio ambiente estão fortemente atrelados para o desenvolvimento da indústria e seu fortalecimento tanto a nível comercial quanto na sociedade. Portanto, a abordagem dada para a Produção Mais Limpa neste trabalho é mais abrangente - enfocando os tratamentos fim de tubo - as Estações de Tratamento de Efluentes Industriais. / The insertion in industries of Cleaner Production Methodology in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WTP). The concept given from the Cleaner Production allows its application to the end of pipe treatment, not restraining it to the productive process. The application of that tool aims the development and the continuous improvement of the environmental management system gathering the treatment of any type of generated pollution, specifically in this dissertation, the industrial wastewater. The WTP, with a suitable supervision and operation, not only minimizes the polluting effects of the effluents generated by the industries to levels demanded by the applicable legislation or to patterns of quality required internally in its process, but also can control the whole factory intern productive process. There is the possibility of detecting great part of the productive deviation that occurred in the interior of the factory through many controlling processual parameters. With the application of the tool of Cleaner Production in the Treatment Stations of Industrial Effluents, it demonstrates through many of its methodologies: - The continuous improvement in all of the productive and treatment processes of effluents involved in the industry; - The progressive enlargement of the processual efficiency; - Which investments and environment are strongly related to the development of the industry and its strengthening both on commercial and social levels. Therefore, the approach given to the Cleaner Production in this dissertation is wider - focusing the end of pipe treatment - the Treatment Stations of Industrial Effluents.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2017-04-05T15:26:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Aleixo Fernandes.pdf: 1781746 bytes, checksum: d0d61f658fd80fa11dcf43275790349f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-05T15:26:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Aleixo Fernandes.pdf: 1781746 bytes, checksum: d0d61f658fd80fa11dcf43275790349f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-16 / This thesis seeks to explain how moderators of satisfaction - reputation and involvement - act on the willingness to pay more and loyalty. These moderators were chosen because they are recognized in the literature as components which relates with cognitive and emotional elements that make up the satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to explain the influence of reputation and involvement variables on the relationship between satisfaction (independent), loyalty to the brand, and the willingness to pay more (dependent) for after-sales service. The gap that this study seeks to fill is to demonstrate to what extent consumer satisfaction with after-sales service contributes important aspects to the companies' market results. To this end, it aims to answer how the company's reputation and consumer involvement influence the effect of consumer satisfaction on loyalty and the desire to pay more. This quantitative study uses a survey to obtain data. After the collection, regressions were performed with the objective of verifying how the interaction between the variables occur. Of the 9 hypotheses constructed, 4 were confirmed, 2 were partially confirmed and 3 could not be verified. An unexpected result is that the response of the willingness to pay more as a function of satisfaction was linear, whereas the theory suggests that it should be non-linear. At the end, limitations, academic and managerial contributions as well as suggestions for future research are presented. / Esta dissertação busca explicar como dois fatores moderadores da satisfação do consumidor – reputação e envolvimento – agem sobre a disposição de pagar mais e a lealdade. Estas moderadoras foram escolhidas por serem reconhecidas na literatura como componentes que se relacionam com os elementos cognitivos e emocionais que compõem a satisfação. O objetivo deste estudo é explicar a influência das variáveis: reputação e envolvimento na relação entre satisfação (antecedente), lealdade em relação à marca e à disposição de pagar mais (consequentes) pelo serviço de pós-venda. A lacuna que este estudo busca preencher é demonstrar em que medida a satisfação do consumidor, com serviço de pós-venda, contribui com aspectos importantes para o resultado mercadológico das empresas. Para isso pretende responder como a reputação da empresa e o envolvimento do consumidor influenciam o efeito da satisfação desse sobre a lealdade e a disposição de pagar mais. Este é um estudo quantitativo que utiliza um survey para a obtenção de dados. Após a amostra coletada, regressões foram realizadas com o objetivo de verificar como a interação entre as variáveis ocorrem. Das 9 hipóteses construídas, 4 foram confirmadas, 2 foram parcialmente confirmadas e 3 não puderam ser confirmadas. Um resultado não esperado é que a resposta da disposição de pagar mais em função da satisfação se mostrou linear, enquanto a teoria aponta que deveria ser não linear. Ao final são apresentadas limitações, contribuições acadêmicas e gerenciais, bem como sugestões de pesquisas futuras.

Submitted by Franciele Moreira (francielemoreyra@gmail.com) on 2017-11-16T11:30:05Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Flávio de Carvalho Araújo - 2017.pdf: 3686962 bytes, checksum: 773cd8b4f73f9611f6d09f2f809efc85 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-11-16T11:42:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Flávio de Carvalho Araújo - 2017.pdf: 3686962 bytes, checksum: 773cd8b4f73f9611f6d09f2f809efc85 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-16T11:42:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Flávio de Carvalho Araújo - 2017.pdf: 3686962 bytes, checksum: 773cd8b4f73f9611f6d09f2f809efc85 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / The present research proposes a technical evaluation for the use of the waste generated in the Water Treatment Plant, Eng. Rodolfo José Costa e Silva, located in the city of Goiânia, State of Goiás, Brazil, as a partial substitute for the fine aggregates of cementitious elements. The study conducted the analysis of the residues, from the material science point of view, through the physical and mineralogical characterization, as well as the investigation concerning the possibility of pozzolanic activity of the material. Therefore, the parameters found were compared based on specific literature and current normalizations, and the study evaluated the similarity between the residue characteristics and the traditional raw materials used in the production of cementitious materials, such as sand, clay, and limestone; in this context, an experiment was carried out with the application of WTP residues in a component used in construction: concrete floor (Paver). The results of the mechanical tests were statistically analyzed to see the influence of the residue, age and interaction between these variables in the results. It was found that the proportion of 5% of residue significantly improved the mechanical resistance of Pavers (33.5%) at 28 days in the control sample, but water absorption increased (68.8%). In this way, a sustainable alternative of insertion of the waste in the productive chain of the construction was sought, producing a cement element, and at the same time contributing to reduce the environmental impact caused by the release of the residues in the springs. Aiming at reducing the environmental liabilities of the water industry, as well as reducing the extraction of raw material for cement production. / A presente pesquisa propõe uma avaliação técnica para utilização dos resíduos gerados na Estação de Tratamento de Água Eng°. Rodolfo José Costa e Silva, que utiliza o sulfato de alumínio no tratamento e está localizada em Goiânia-Goiás, como substituto parcial dos agregados miúdos em componente cimentício - Paver. A pesquisa analisou a incorporação de resíduos, sob o ponto de vista da ciência dos materiais, por meio da caracterização física, química e mineralógica, bem como, com uma investigação referente à possibilidade de atividade pozolânica do material. Dessa maneira, os parâmetros encontrados nos ensaios, foram comparados às bases da literatura específica e normas vigentes, levantadas na revisão bibliográfica, e posteriormente o estudo avaliou a similaridade das características do resíduo com as matérias primas tradicionais utilizadas para produção de materiais cimentícios, como: areia, argila e pedra calcária, dentre outras; nesse sentido, foi elaborado um experimento com aplicação de resíduos de ETA em componente utilizado na construção civil: o piso de concreto Paver. Os resultados dos ensaios mecânicos foram analisados estatisticamente para perceber-se o grau de influência do teor de resíduo, idade e interação entre essas variáveis nos resultados. Constatou-se que a proporção de 5% de resíduo melhora significativamente a resistência mecânica dos Pavers (33,5%) aos 28 dias, em relação a amostra de controle, porém a absorção de água aumentou (68,8%). Assim, encontrou-se uma alternativa sustentável de inserção do resíduo na cadeia produtiva da construção, produzindo um elemento cimentício, e ao mesmo tempo contribuindo para reduzir o impacto ambiental causado pelo lançamento dos resíduos nos mananciais. Objetivando a redução do passivo ambiental da indústria da água, bem como a diminuição da extração de matéria prima para produção dos elementos cimentícios.

Reflecting the growing interest from both consumers and policymakers, and building on recent developments in Willingness to Pay (WTP) methodologies, we evaluate consumer preferences for an archetypal traditional food product. Specifically we draw on stated preference data from a discrete choice experiment, considering the traditional Hungarian mangalitza salami. A WTP space specification of the generalized multinomial logit model is employed, which accounts for not only heterogeneity in preferences but also differences in the scale of the idiosyncratic error term. Results indicate that traditional food products can command a substantial premium, albeit contingent on effective quality certification, authentic product composition and effective choice of retail outlet. Promising consumer segments and policy implications are identified. (authors' abstract)

Changes in the features of food demand and consumption have moved from the mass consumption model towards an increasing qualitative differentiation of products and demand. This movement towards addressing consumers’ demand for food products with more advanced quality attributes has led to increasingly complex food qualification processes and a proliferation of standards. Accompanying these changes in the agro-food system is a growing consumer concern for food safety and quality. Even though these trends are also permeating South Africa, little research has been done on the local quality dynamics of this emerging country. There is therefore the need to investigate consumers’ food choice behaviour in a developing country context, such as South Africa. Consumers’ quality perception and decision making process regarding food products is quantified through measuring consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP)for a given attribute in a food product. Willingness to pay refers to the maximum monetary amount that a consumer is willing to pay for a specific product representing a bundle of product attributes. The general objective of this study is to test the application of experimental auctions as one of the available methods to measure consumers’ willingness to pay, in order to determine the applicability of experimental auctions to specific research scenarios – for example the case of food products with advanced quality attributes in a developing country context. Sample selection for the experiment was done through a combination of random and convenience sampling. The total sample amounted to 31 participants. The target population was high income, established South African consumers, who are regular consumers of red meat and also the main buyers of groceries in the household. A pre-auction survey was done to determine the exact demographic composition of the sample as well as gaining insight into the sample’s buying behaviour and attitudes towards red meat, specifically Karoo lamb. A random nth price auction was conducted to obtain willingness to pay estimates for a premium on certified Karoo lamb. Various demographic and behavioural variables were linked to participants’ individual bids in order to determine the possible influence of these variables on participants’ bidding behaviour. This research study tested the application of an experimental auction mechanism in the food marketing context of a developing country. To the knowledge of the researcher, it is the first study of its kind done in South Africa. It was worthwhile to investigate this method as an alternative to stated preference methods in the field of food choice behaviour, because the auction conducted during this research project succeeded in giving meaningful insights into the possibilities of the certification of meat of origin in a developing country like South Africa. From the auction results, a general positive willingness to pay for certified Karoo lamb was observed, with an average premium recorded of R10.90/500g of loin chops. The impact of additional information was clearly visible as bids increased substantially after information treatments about the product were introduced. It was found that female respondents and respondents from the older age group generally bid higher premiums for Karoo lamb. Respondents buying red meat and sheep meat (i.e. referring to mutton and lamb products) from Woolworths and Spar also indicated a higher positive willingness to pay a premium for certified Karoo lamb. With specific reference to the case study product, a positive willingness to pay for certified Karoo lamb was determined in this study. The concerns raised by participants about the lack of availability and authenticity of Karoo lamb, serves as an indication of the need for a formal certification process of food products in South Africa. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Syfte: Bakgrund till den valda studien beror på den begränsade forskningen kring hur färger kan påverka betalningsviljan hos konsumenter. Det finns tidigare forskning som visar på att färger påverkar människan men som också pekat på att vidare forskning borde koppla samman färg och WTP. Syftet med studien är att analysera hur HSL påverkar kundernas känslor av interiörbilder i marknadsföring och hur det i sin tur påverkar kundernas betalningsvilja. Metod: För att genomföra studien genomfördes ett experiment på en högskola i Sverige med 102 slumpvis utvalda respondenter. Respondenterna fick besvara en enkät med tre bilder i varje. Det finns tre olika enkäter med samma bilder, men i två av enkäterna är bilderna manipulerade och i en enkät är det originalbilderna. Data som samlades in analyserades i SPSS där resultat togs fram som vi sedermera tolkar och analyser. Resultat & slutsats: Det vi kan visa på är att HSL har en påverkan på känslor och det främst när det kommer till högre ljusstyrka och mättnad. Vi har hittat skillnader som korroborerar med den tidigare forskningen men även skillnader som går emot den tidigare forskningen. Vi kan även konstatera att manipuleringarna ökar uppfattningen om hur prisvärd bostaden upplevs, och vi kan se tendenser till att betalningsviljan är något högre på de manipulerade bilderna. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Eftersom att vårt resultat inte går att generalisera eller att använda för att falsifiera på grund av ett för litet urval kan vidare forskning replikera studien men med ett större urval. Vidare förslag på vidare forskning: -          Hur påverkar högre ljusstyrka och högre mättnad i samma bild konsumenternas känslor? -          Hur påverkar färgnyans betalningsviljan? Uppsatsens bidrag: Denna studie bidrar till en ökad förståelse kring hur färger kan påverka känslor som i sin tur påverkar betalningsviljan. Vårt bidrag riktar sig även till branschen och hur branschen bör lägga stor vikt på bra bilder vid marknadsföring av bostadsobjekt. / Aim: The background to the chosen study is due to the limited research on colors effect on consumer’s willingness to pay. The research that has been done shows that colors affects humans, but there has also pointed out that further research should combine color and WTP. The purpose of this study is to analyze how HSL affects consumer’s emotions of interior pictures in marketing and how it in turn affects consumer’s willingness to pay. Method: To complete the study, an experiment was conducted at a university in Sweden with 102 randomly selected respondents. The respondents were asked to answer a survey with three pictures in each. There were three different surveys with the same pictures, but in two of the surveys the pictures were manipulated and in one survey there was the original picture. Data collected was analyzed in SPSS where the results were presented as we later interpreted and analyzed. Result & Conclusions: The results show that HSL has an influence on emotions and especially when it comes to higher brightness and saturation. We have found differences that corroborate with the previous research but also differences that go against the previous researches. We also find that the manipulations increased the perception of how affordable the housing was experienced, and we could see trends that the willingness to pay was slightly higher on the manipulated pictures. Suggestions for future research: Our results cannot be generalized or used to falsify due to the small selection, research can replicate the study but with a larger selection. Further suggestion for further research: -          How does higher brightness and higher saturation in the same picture affect the consumers’              emotions? -          How dose hues affect willingness to pay?  Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes to an increased understanding of how colors can affect feelings and how it in turn affects willingness to pay. Our contribution is also aimed to people working in marketing and how they should place great emphasis on good pictures in the marketing of housing properties.

This study investigates the economics of water as used by smallholder irrigation farmers in South Africa. The productivity and value of water were estimated with data from two smallholder irrigation schemes: Zanyokwe and Thabina. Production parameters such as fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, equipment, transport, labour, and water were treated as inputs. Various methodologies used to estimate water value, including cost-based approaches, were thoroughly reviewed. The aim was to select the ones with more justification for use in smallholder irrigation sector and also to compare a number of approaches. On a case study basis, three methods were applied: residual valuation method, willingness to pay and cost-based approaches (i.e. accounting costs of O&M). Water productivity and values were then evaluated as per crop, farmer, and scheme. Also, cross-section regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of some key socio-economic factors of production on gross margin and willingness to pay. The results indicated that on average, the value of water varies according to methods, crops, farmers and schemes. In the Zanyokwe scheme, water value estimated by the residual method in cabbage is higher (R1.64 per m3) than the one in dry maize (R0.35 per m3), if intensive and high yield irrigated crops are grown per year. Also, in Thabina, water value for cabbage (R1.14 per m3) outperforms water value for dry maize (R0.02 per m3. This means that there is greater potential in vegetable crops than food grain crops, although the two schemes have different irrigation systems, and such analysis is based on one-year data, which may lack accuracy. Low water valuation is ascribed to low yield and extensive cropping systems, because gross margin per hectare is very low. This signifies the need for expansion in high value crops rather than low value crops. At farm and scheme level, the results were derived by using the Smile database and simulated platform. The Smile platform is a data capturing and a calculation tool. It calculates a number of indicators, economic figures, at scheme and individual farm level, allowing for evaluation of the current situation. The results suggested that at present, the Zanyokwe scheme requires about 1 739 255 m3 of irrigation water per year. The total operational costs (accounting costs of O&M) are about R146 097.42. In other words, supplying 1 m3at farm level will cost R0.084. This implies that if irrigation charges are levied so as to cover O&M costs of the Zanyokwe scheme, the current costs (R0.084) will form only 23% of the average gross margin of R0.37 per m3 used at scheme level. Furthermore, in the Zanyokwe irrigation scheme, the results revealed that the most active and efficient farmers (specialized farmers) can make an average gross margin of R4 105 per ha per year, also achieving the highest water productivity R0.69 in gross margin per m3 consumed. However, in the Thabina scheme, the results indicated that, to supply 1 m3will cost R0.062. Thus, the current water supply costs cover about 56 % of what is earned (i.e. R0.11 per m3 used) at scheme level. Again, the most active farmers (commercially oriented pensioners) are more efficient, with average gross margin of R3 092 per ha per year, also achieving the highest water productivity (R0.53 in gross margin per m3 used). These results suggested that certain smallholder farming systems seem capable of paying for irrigation charges of their respective schemes if they are obliged to do so. As far as willingness to pay (WTP) and cost-based approaches (CBA) are concerned, the results clearly show that the active farmers in the Zanyokwe scheme have lower WTP per m3 (R0.03) than the GM of output (R0.69) per m3 of water used. Also, the accounting cost (R0.084 per m3 of water used) is lower than the GM gained. However, in the Thabina scheme, the situation is quite different. The active farmers are willing to pay R0.19 per m3 of water used. This implies that, if farmers are to pay for the charges in order to cover O&M costs, the farmers in Thabina are ready to pay as much as three times the proposed costs of O&M (R0.062 per m3 of water used), although both the WTP and the accounting cost are lower than GM gained. In these results, it is significant that both the accounting cost and the willingness to pay are lower than the GM per m3 of water used at least in the Zanyokwe scheme. Even though the data were drawn from a sample for one year only, this finding on the perception of farmers has implications for extension and training to improve future productive use. Regarding the findings from cross-section regression analysis, the results for GM (as dependent variable) in general indicated that in the Zanyokwe scheme, only credit affects output positively and significantly. Production costs have significant effect on output, but with a negative correlation. It is striking that all the other factors of production including hired labour show negative and insignificant effects on output. In the Thabina scheme, the most important factors of production in the model are land size (hectare) and production costs (Rand per ha). These two variables influence output positively and significantly. As far as WTP (as dependent variable) is concerned, the results indicated that in the Zanyokwe scheme, it is striking that in all the investigated factors, only credit affects WTP positively and significantly. All other factors are insignificant. Also, gross margin of output per m3, unexpectedly, has displayed a negative and insignificant effect on output. In the Thabina scheme, the results show that the land size per hectare, and gross margin of output per m3 affect WTP positively and significantly. Such results are consistent with the assumptions made in the conceptual framework that a farmer with high gross margin gained at farm level is more likely to pay for water costs than those with poor gross margin. On the basis of these findings, the following recommendations were formulated. Specific policies should include promotion of high value crops and improved varieties of seed for food grain crops (e.g. maize) and vegetables (e.g. cabbage). While improved agronomic practices remain important, there is also potential to increase productivity and profitability of the crops by improving water management practices at the canal-system level, such as better timing of water delivery and increased overall canal-water supplies at the farm level. Finally, from a cost recovery point of view, government should develop a program of cost sharing for capital costs of irrigation development. With regard to inter-sectoral competition, these results highlight that, if inter-sectoral competition is left to uncontrolled market forces may result in smallholder farmers' selling their water rights to sectors which value water at higher levels. To avoid a “liberal trap” such as in the example of Chile (where smallholder farmers "en masse" sold their water rights, resulting ultimately in deeper rural poverty), some form of control/management of water rights transaction involving smallholder farmers is necessary. Finally, the findings of this study can be used in various ways. Since, these values determine the farmer’s ability to pay for water now or in the future, the incentive to use water judiciously will be governed by these values. Secondly, the results can be used to evaluate whether the costs estimated and gross margin per m3 gained at farm level, are in line with the farmers’ willingness to pay. Further work is recommended to clarify these conclusions and provide more policy clarification on the better use of water by smallholder irrigation farmers in South Africa. / Dissertation (MInst.Agrar)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

After several decades of rapid urbanisation, population growth and industrialisation, most developing countries have now become home to the rapidly increasing informal sector’s polluting activities. With marked failures in their use of traditional Command and Control (CAC) legislation, limited technical and fiscal environmental protection resources coupled with weak environmental protection, complimentary judicial and legislative institutions, it has become necessary for these countries to look somewhere else for environment regulation policy. This study evaluates potential contributions of public-led voluntary agreements programs in the control of informal sector pollution in Lusaka’s Soweto and City markets in Zambia. The study employs Binary Logistic Models to establish factors critical to the successful implementation of environmental management voluntary agreements in the two markets. It also uses the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess and estimate traders’ Willingness to pay (WTP) for proposed improvements to cleanliness in the markets. The main empirical data for the study was collected by means of a questionnaire survey of 93 traders in the two markets and supplemented by semi-structured interviews. The study finds that indeed voluntary agreements have a potential to control informal sector pollution in developing countries like Zambia. The study also finds that while the informal sector significantly contributes to urban pollution, they are hamstrung by lack of capacity to control their own pollution. The absence of adequate regulatory enforcement and appropriate incentives in terms of waste bins and cleaners in these markets seriously militate against the sector’s limited efforts in implementing positive environmental management in these markets. The traders’ mean willingness to pay (WTP) for the proposed improvement to cleanliness in the two market is K483,384 per trader per year while the total WTP of all the traders in the two markets is K1,208,460,000 or K1.2 billion per year. As a proportion of the traders’ average annual income, the mean WTP amounts to 0.8%. The study concludes that deliberate interventions with the aim of enhancing their capacity are necessary. In this regard specific recommendations have been made for policy intervention in specific key areas, namely; the provision of appropriate incentives in form of increasing the number of waste bins and cleaners in the markets together with supporting organisational structure and efficient services in terms of frequent removal of waste from the markets by the local authority; the expansion and strengthening of the physical presence of regulatory and enforcement agents in these markets and finally; the building of a shared understanding among the traders of the need for maintaining a clean and environmentally conducive market area through continued sensitisation programs in these markets Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted