Income Generated Research Articles

Economic Feasibility of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Treatment Plants: A Case Study from Dimbulagala, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

Social wellbeing is strongly linked with economic feasibility when it needs to attain with the technological advancements. Installation of Reverse Osmosis (RO) water treatment plants have been considered as a promising solution to provide clean water for human consumption, especially in the areas where the CKDu (chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology) prevails. At present, over 2,000 RO treatment plants were installed in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, yet economic feasibility for operation and maintenance of RO plants has not been assessed so far. The present study was intended to identify economic feasibility of operation and maintenance of RO plants. Investigations were carried out in six community RO plants which provided drinking water for over 17,000 people which accounts for 20% of total population in Dimbulagala Divisional Secretariat over a period of 12 months. Six in-depth interviews and questionnaire survey were caried out with RO plant operators. The operational cost per production of cubic meter of filtered water was computed by considering electricity consumption bills. The maintenance costs and service charges were also obtained from the records available with RO plant operators. The results found that the average electricity consumption to produce 1 cube of filtered water is approximately 9kWh and cost is LKR 734 (based on 2021 rates). The average water selling price ranged between LKR 1.00-2.50 per liter. The average monthly income generation from one RO plant is approximately between LKR 561- 875 per cube of filtered water and it largely depended on the type of water source, climatic conditions. It was found that the income generated from RO plants was sufficient enough to cover the operation cost (monthly electricity bill) and for the subsequent maintenance and service charges whenever required. It can be concluded that the use of RO treated water is an economically viable option to provide portable drinking water. 
 Keywords: CKDu, Economic sustainability, Drinking water, Purification cost

Multicriteria assessment of alternative cropping systems at farm level. A case with maize on family farms of South East Asia

CONTEXTIntegration of farms into markets with adoption of maize as a cash crop can significantly increase income of farms of the developing world. However, in some cases, the income generated may still be very low and maize production may also have strong negative environmental and social impacts. OBJECTIVEMaize production in northern Laos is taken as a case to study how far can farms' performance be improved with improved crop management of maize with the following changes at field level: good timing and optimal soil preparation and sowing, allowing optimal crop establishment and low weed infestation. METHODSWe compared different farm types' performance on locally relevant criteria and indicators embodying the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social). An integrated assessment approach was combined with direct measurement of indicators in farmers' fields to assess eleven criteria of local farm sustainability. A bio-economic farm model was used for scenario assessment in which changes in crop management and the economic environment of farms were compared to present situation. The farm model was based on mathematical programming maximizing income under constraints related to i) household composition, initial cash and rice stocks and land type, and ii) seasonal balances of cash, labour and food. The crop management scenarios were built based on a diagnosis of the causes of variations in the agronomic and environmental performances of cropping systems, carried out in farmers' fields. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSOur study showed that moderate changes in crop management on maize would improve substantially farm performance on 4 to 6 criteria out of the 11 assessed, depending on farm types. The improved crop management of maize had a high economic attractiveness for every farm type simulated (low, medium and high resource endowed farms) even at simulated production costs more than doubling current costs of farmers' practices. However, while an improvement of the systems performance was attained in terms of agricultural productivity, income generation, work and ease of work, herbicide leaching, improved soil quality and nitrogen balance, trade-offs were identified with other indicators such as erosion control and cash outflow needed at the beginning of the cropping season. SIGNIFICANCEUsing farm modelling for multicriteria assessment of current and improved maize cropping systems for contrasted farm types helped capture main opportunities and constraints on local farm sustainability, and assess the trade-offs that new options at field level may generate at farm level.

The Influence of School Self-Reliance Projects in Enhancing Students’ Academic Performance in Morogoro Municipality

The study on the influence of school self-reliance projects in enhancing students’ academic performance was conducted in Morogoro Municipality. The study was guided by the following research objective; to explore the uses of income generated from the available school self-reliance project in private secondary schools in Morogoro Municipality. The study used a sample of 50 respondents and the data were collected through questionnaires and interviews and were analysed thematically and by using descriptive statistics. Data were extracted from primary and secondary sources. The study revealed the following; the dominant income generation projects which were identified in the field were; farming (vegetables), brick making, livestock keeping, school shop and canteen. These were the dominant self-reliance projects which are used by the school management to produce extra income within school compounds. The study also revealed that from 2017 to 2020, St. Peter’s Junior Seminary generated 10,456,400 million Tz shillings from income generation projects, Kitungwa Secondary School generated 163,245,000 million Tz shillings while Kigurunyembe secondary school generated 5,370,250 million Tz shillings from the available income generation projects. The study revealed that most of the income generated is used to pay for water and electricity bills for the advantage of students and teachers, conduct remedial classes, provide lunch for teachers, buy school facilities, maintenance of school buildings and employ teachers and non-teachers. The study recommends that School-based income generation projects are very important as they help heads of schools to produce additional funds for improving quality education provision in secondary schools rather than depending on school fees, loans and grants from donors who are sometimes not reliable. Through such activities, heads of schools are in the position of ensuring a constant supply of teaching and learning materials, construction, and maintenance of physical infrastructures such as the library, laboratories, dormitories, dining and assembly halls, and staff houses and motivating students, teachers, and non-teachers to do their work up to their best

Livelihood Implication of Artisanal Mining on Herders in Jema’a and Sanga Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study assessed the livelihood implication of artisanal mining on herders in Jema’a and Sanga local government areas of Kaduna state, Nigeria, with a view to providing information for sustainable living. Data for this study was collected through questionnaire survey, in-depth interview and direct field observation. The result showed that herders are involved in artisanal mining due to economic hardship/poverty, quick/high income generation from mining, supplementing income generated from other sources, lack of livestock, availability of minerals, high level of insecurity and Covid-19 lockdown. The result also indicated that artisanal mining increases asset acquisition, empowerment and provision of job to herders, leads to new income generating opportunities, and increase in income due to high demand for animal products, but diminishes available land for grazing, forces herders to relocate to new areas, causes competition for natural resources, lures their younger ones away from herding, prostitution, armed robbery and kidnapping, loss of livestock, pollution of domestic water sources and loss of young herders. It is therefore important that adequate training be given to herders on modern methods of livestock keeping to discourage them from involving in mining of minerals. In order to reduce their vulnerability to mining of minerals, it is also recommended that government and private sectors should work towards reducing poverty and unemployment to all kinds of persons across the country.

Contribution of wild edible plants to household livelihood in a semiarid Kondoa District, Tanzania

AbstractWild edible plants (WEPS) are an important source of nutrients and income particularly to poor households. However, information on how WEPS contribute to rural livelihoods varies due to heterogeneous methodologies and settings. This paper is based on a study that investigated the contribution of WEPs on rural livelihoods in semiarid Kondoa District, Dodoma Region, Tanzania. Mixed methods were used to collect data from 343 households (14.32%), comprising six focus group discussions and six key informant interviews with district officials. Findings show that whereas 97% of households use WEPs more on subsistence basis, 8.2% use it for income generation. Income generated from WEPs accounted for about 9.16% of household income, which is somewhat closely to other sources. More or less, prices are even higher than those of corn when compared with national figures. However, income generated from sale of WEPs, though substantial, is less accounted for in household capital assets, rather than satisfying the household's basic requirements. Thus, there is a need to recognize the role of WEPs to rural livelihoods in reducing vulnerability to food insecurity and developing interventions that can improve access to use and management of natural resources.

CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF GOODS & SERVICE TAX (GST) FRAMEWORK IN INDIA

The giant indirect tax framework in India known as the Goods and Services Tax, is meant to promote and bolster the economic growth of a country. GST has been introduced in more than 150 countries. The Vajpayee government came up with the concept of GST in 2000. Growth and development may be hindered by an aggressive performance of GST. For this study, the primary goal is for researchers to get a better understanding of the inuence of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the Indian economy, as well as the many features of the Indian GST system. Using data from periodicals, newspapers, and approved websites, the article is based on secondary data sources. In conclusion, I believe GST has certain benecial effects, such as helping to create a tax administration that is open and devoid of corruption. Small rms with annual revenue of between INR 20 lakhs and INR 50 lakhs might elect to pay lesser taxes under the new GST system. What it is referred to as is known as the compositional scheme. A hike to Rs. 75 lakhs has been proposed, however there are also drawbacks, such as the fact that some retail items presently only carry a 4% tax, and that after GST, clothing and apparel may become more expensive. The GST does not apply to three key tax income generators: petroleum goods, alcoholic beverages, and electricity. The tax will be levied by the state government on certain industries. Tax income generated by GST would be a major factor in the inclusion of these sectors in the GST. A higher tax rate of 18 percent from the current 15 percent would have a signicant impact on the services industry, such as communications and restaurants. In India, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has had mixed results.

Remediation of acid soils and soil property amelioration via Acacia decurrens-based agroforestry system

Land degradation and the associated soil acidity are critical challenge for crop production in Ethiopian highlands. Since liming is expensive, farmers have developed an alternative agroforestry system by integrating Acacia decurrens into their landscapes. The expansion rate of this system was assessed over the last three decades. The effects of the agroforestry system and charcoal-making kiln sites on soil properties were investigated for over five years compared to the adjacent croplands. Soil samples were collected from A. decurrens plantations, kiln sites, and adjacent croplands at 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depths. In the last 30 years, the plantation and croplands increased by 8% and 17.5%, respectively, compared to the land-use system in 1993, mainly at the expense of grassland and abandoned land. The main incentive for expansion of A. decurrens plantations was farmers’ income generated from charcoal making. This intervention also improved soil properties with a significantly positive effect on soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and available Bray phosphorus (Bray-P) compared to the adjacent croplands. Results revealed that the SOC content in year 2 increased significantly (1.3–1.7 times) under A. decurrens plantation compared to adjacent crop fields. Moreover, soil pH increased by one unit on charcoal-making fields, which was equivalent to application of 4–5 t lime ha−1, while SOC increased by ~ 10% on kiln sites compared to the control. Charcoal making kiln spots increased available soil phosphorus by 112% compared to the adjacent non-kiln sites. The Bray- P was strongly and significantly (P < 0.05) correlated (r = 0.75) with soil pH. We conclude that integrating A. decurrens-based agroforestry practices would improve livelihoods by restoring degraded lands, improving income generation and carbon sequestration.

How Much Do They Make? A Systematic Review of Income Generated From Begging

Panhandling income has not been well reviewed, though doing so would be beneficial for several reasons. Understanding beggar income may aid in addressing misconceptions about the activity, clarify the financial motivation for organized or forced begging, and allow for clearer comparisons to other kinds of shadow work like prostitution, binning, or selling drugs. This study presents a systematic review of panhandling income by using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and PROSPERO guidelines to aid in identifying, screening, assessing, and including research that provides quantitative income information about panhandling. Income is adjusted for inflation, and international studies are converted to USD via standard exchange rate and via purchasing power parity values. Ultimately, 38 studies are included for final analysis. The 38 studies are divided into United States specific ( n = 15) and all other countries ( n = 23). In adjusted 2020 USD, the economic yield from panhandling is most often $2–$16 per hour, $20–$60 per day, and $200–$500 per month, substantial variation exists. Economic comparisons to other forms of shadow work and future research directions are provided.

Impact of an Asset Transfer Program for Income Generation and Food Security Among Ultra-Poor Households in Rural Bangladesh

ObjectivesAn economic development (ED) program, designed based on an ultra-poor graduation approach, was implemented to alleviate poverty and improve food security in rural Bangladesh through asset transfer. This study aims to compare income generation, consumption, and seasonal trends in asset management among ultra-poor households receiving different small assets. MethodsA total of 2960 poor or ultra-poor households received (1) 9–26 ducks (n = 2125), (2) 11 chickens (n = 872), and/or (3) vegetable seeds with garden training (n = 2407), depending on living environment. Indicators related to production of assets, income generation, and consumption of assets were collected quarterly over the course of Jan-Dec 2019. Changes in the amount of assets, income generated from assets and asset byproducts, and consumption of assets and asset byproducts were compared across time and asset group type. ResultsSignificant seasonal trends in the amount of production and income were found among all three asset groups over one year (all p < 0.001). The vegetable and duck groups reported their highest mean incomes at the Jan-Mar follow-up, and the chicken group reported its highest mean income at the July-Sept follow-up. A higher proportion of chicken households maintained their baseline asset provisions at one-year than duck households (29.2% vs. 18.2%, p < 0.001). The duck group reported higher average monthly income than the chicken group (811 TK vs. 480 TK; p < 0.001). The duck group consumed a greater number of eggs per month than the chicken group (55 eggs vs. 27 eggs; p < 0.001), while the chicken group consumed a greater number of poultry per month than the duck group (1.65 chickens vs. 0.95 ducks; p < 0.001). ConclusionsDuck assets are better short-term income sources for the poor and ultra-poor than chicken assets in rural Bangladesh. Our findings in asset management, income generation, and consumption provide evidence of the impact of the graduation approach on ultra-poor household economies and should be considered in future scale-up of the ED program. Funding SourcesWorld Vision Bangladesh, World Vision Korea, KOICA.

Impact of Cooperative Membership on Rural Income Generation in Southwest, Nigeria

This study examines the impact of cooperative membership on rural income generation. It also analyzes the factors influencing participation in cooperatives among rural households in Southwest, Nigeria. The study was designed to account for selection bias into cooperative organizations. Rural household survey data were used and the estimates were based on both the Probit model and non-parametric propensity score matching method. The findings show that income generated through cooperative membership is approximately 10% higher than those generated by noncooperative members. Empirical estimates of determinants of cooperative membership indicate that years of education, age and land size have significant influences on the decision to join cooperatives.

Income Generation of Non-wood Forest Products in an Innovative Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry System

The wide extension area occupied by babassu palm (Atallea speciosa Mart. Ex Spreng) is usually considered as an important obstacle for agricultural activities, such as crop production and pasture maintenance in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the non-wood forest product use and income generated in an Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ICLF) system using babassu palm as the main forestry component in a rural area of Pindar&amp;eacute;-Mirim, a municipality of Maranh&amp;atilde;o state, in the Amazon Eastern Region, Brazil. In order to rise a well-balanced agroforestry system in numerous rural areas of the country, three main questions were addressed in this study: 1) What is the production of babassu fruits in the system? 2) Is the babassu extractivism income economically suitable for traditional communities of women babassu breakers? 3) Which commercialization scenario of NWFP could generate more income? Data on phenology and fruit production, processing of all fruit components, and commercialization of babassu products were collected in two 12-month seasons of palm production (2017/2018 and 2018/2019). The mean fruit production reached 2,345.49 kg ha-1 season-1, resulting in an estimate of income generation ranging from R$ 8,206.96 ha-1 season-1 to R$ 36,628.54 ha-1 season-1, depending on the commercialization scenario. These numbers were compared to the statewide monthly income per household of R$ 605.00 and to the per capita monthly income of 54% of the municipality of less than R$ 499.00. The real field data and the estimates for two seasons of using babassu palm, as the innovative forestry component in ICLF system, demonstrated that babassu NWFP could generate substantial income for the surrounding user communities. Such innovative agricultural system may contribute to change people understanding, diversifying agrarian production, improving the socioeconomic household welfare, and reducing the long-term conflicts between livestock activities and babassu palm existence in Brazil.

Funding pharmacists in general practice: A feasibility study to inform the design of future economic evaluations.

Funding is a significant barrier to employing general practice pharmacists. To explore the feasibility of determining the cost-benefit of pharmacists in Australian general practice. Two part-time pharmacists were employed by general practices in Canberra, Australia. Diaries of the pharmacists were analysed to determine time worked and participation in income-generating activities, including Government-funded programs: Asthma Cycle of Care, Home Medicine Reviews, and Health Care Assessments. Scenarios using different practice and business models were entered into value-cost models to determine the income generated by the pharmacists relative to their salary. Over 19 weeks, pharmacists A and B supported 47 and 23 Asthma Cycle of Care activities, generating income to the general practice of AU$4,700 and AU$2,300, respectively. The pharmacists spent 36.4 and 24.1hours on activities usually conducted by general practitioners (GPs), allowing additional time for GP-patient consultations. Value-cost models determined AU$0.61 - AU$1.20 income generation by pharmacists per AU$1 salary. It was feasible to determine the value-cost ratios of employing pharmacists in general practice using these methods. Future work should focus on developing a robust business model that includes health care system savings resulting from practice pharmacist interventions, determined from randomised controlled trials.

Acceptability of income generation practices in 21st century urban park management: The case of city district parks

There is growing interest in understanding the benefits of parks and green space in financial terms, particularly from policymakers and decision–makers. Applying a financial value is an increasingly popular practice designed to communicate urban green space benefits to budget holders. This is pertinent for local governments who routinely struggle to secure funding for parks, given their non-statutory status around the world. To address this, it is perhaps inevitable that the application of a wide range of funding models to parks is being explored. However, there is little empirical evidence that users and residents share this sentiment. This paper aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring how feasible and acceptable such income generation practices are for stakeholders directly involved in using and managing parks. We asked local residents, parks managers, community groups and academics in one northern English city how feasible and acceptable they considered different income generation practices if applied to their local parks. The findings show that overall, income generated by cafés and organised events were considered acceptable by residents but to a lesser extent by community groups and professionals. Voluntary donations, car parking and increased taxation were considered unacceptable by all stakeholders, while using the planning system to secure funding was considered acceptable. The findings suggest a variety of acceptable, context-specific income-generating practices which may help stakeholders to address pragmatically the current challenges of managing urban parks.

Socio-Economic Impact of Protected Cultivation on Tomato Growers of Himachal Pradesh

Agriculture occupies the most prominent position in Himachal Pradesh, as it is the mainstay of more than 69 per cent of the state’s population. Since the state is exposed to constraints such as shrinking land holdings coupled with perceptible changes in weather and climate, protected cultivation has emerged as the best alternative for using land and other resources efficiently. The main aim of this technology is to enhance the socio-economic conditions of the farmers. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyse the cropping pattern, production and productivity of major crops being cultivated under protected conditions and to study its impact in crop productivity, employment and income (farm income and total household income) generation and income variability. In order to have a better insight, the factors under consideration were compared to the open-field conditions. The study is based on primary data collected through survey method for the agricultural year 2015-16. The data had been collected from 60 tomato (30 open-field and 30 polyhouse) growers, selected through proportional allocation method from Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh. The study revealed that protected cultivation had a significant impact in enhancing the crop productivity and was approximately three times higher in comparison to the open-field conditions. The labour utilization pattern on protected cultivation was found to be almost four times higher than that of the open- field cultivation indicating a significant contribution in enhancing the employment opportunities. The average farm and household income of the protected growers was observed to be increased by about 25 and 11 per cent, respectively with the adoption of protected technology in the study area. The income variability of the protected growers was also found to be less in comparison to the open-field growers indicating lesser risk and higher stability of income generated by the protected growers in the study area. Therefore, it can be concluded that protected cultivation has a significantly positive impact in improving the socio-economic conditions of the farmers in the study area and suits well to the agro-climatic conditions prevailing in the hilly areas like Himachal Pradesh. Highlights Protected cultivation had a significant impact in enhancing the crop productivity, employment and income generation. Protected cultivation attains more stable income than open- field cultivation.

Assessment of Income Generation from Non-timber Forest Products in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Non-Timber Forest Products are important sources of income that can supplement farming and/or other activities to the rural dwellers. In spite of this, its potential to improve the standard of living and generate income to rural dwellers has not been known in Awka-North Local Government Area. The study was carried out from January to August, 2017. The study identified the variety of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) available to rural households, the level of income generated by households from these available Non-timber forest products and constraints to Non-timber forest products collection in the study area. Three towns; Achalla, Amansea and Mgbakwu were selected using multi-stage random sampling technique. A total of 100 copies of structured questionnaires were administered to obtain information from respondents who engaged in NTFPs based activities in the selected towns. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and 5-point Likert Type Scale. The study revealed that fish, snail, bush meat, spices, firewood, fruits, seeds and nuts, vegetables and honey are the Non-timber forest products available to the rural dwellers. Monthly income of ₦61,000 and above was generated by the rural dwellers who engaged in NTFPs sales. Lack of marketing, bush burning, deforestation, NTFPs scarcity, over exploitation, transportation, bad road network, distance from forest, market price of other products and unfavourable government policies are the constraints confronting the respondents in the collection of Non-timber forest products in the study area.

RURAL AGRO-TOURISM AND LOCAL COMMUNITY INCOME: THE CASE STUDY OF CLUSTERED HOMESTAYS IN KELANTAN AND TERENGGANU

This research outlines the analysis of income generation basing on agro-cultural tourism of homestays under the purview of Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia. Using a case study of Kelantan and Terengganu, the research elaborates on the levels of income generated from agro-tourism, distributions, administrations, factors leading to the success of homestays in generating additional income and strategies of infrastructural improvements of homestay. Tourism is one of the largest contributing sectors (13%) to the National Gross Product (RM153 billion) in 2015. Agro-tourism provide opportunities for the visitors to stay and experience the life of an agriculture community in rural areas. Kelantan and Terengganu are rich with agricultural produce, thus have the advantage of showcasing the unique attractions to various tourists’ types. Homestays in Kelantan and Terengganu are limited in research. Hence, this research aims to assess the rural agro-tourism and local community income generated from homestays in Kelantan and Terengganu.

RURAL AGRO-TOURISM AND LOCAL COMMUNITY INCOME: THE CASE STUDY OF CLUSTERED HOMESTAYS IN KELANTAN AND TERENGGANU

This research outlines the analysis of income generation basing on agro-cultural tourism of homestays under the purview of Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Malaysia. Using a case study of Kelantan and Terengganu, the research elaborates on the levels of income generated from agro-tourism, distributions, administrations, factors leading to the success of homestays in generating additional income and strategies of infrastructural improvements of homestay. Tourism is one of the largest contributing sectors (13%) to the National Gross Product (RM153 billion) in 2015. Agro-tourism provide opportunities for the visitors to stay and experience the life of an agriculture community in rural areas. Kelantan and Terengganu are rich with agricultural produce, thus have the advantage of showcasing the unique attractions to various tourists’ types. Homestays in Kelantan and Terengganu are limited in research. Hence, this research aims to assess the rural agro-tourism and local community income generated from homestays in Kelantan and Terengganu.

Application of Lagrange Polynomial for Interpolating Income Generation from Certain Students’ Fee Structure

This paper presents the findings of the study that aimed to examine the changing aspects of income generation from certain students’ fee structure. It used an empirical example of Higher learning institution from Tanzania to determine whether Lagrange interpolation method would emerge a useful tool for interpolating and extrapolating enrolments of undergraduate students. The functional values evaluated at all nodes on the given data set accurately match the enrolments records of each respective academic year, though with nonconformities at the additional interior nodes. The function obtained from polynomial curve fitting using Excel spreadsheet at replaced the Lagrange polynomial to compute the rate of income generated from undergraduate students’ fees for academic years 2012/2013 to 2018/2019. The relative errors committed by range from the number at the node to the number at the node . Enrolments trend however is not stable, as it fluctuates basing on the particular academic year that causes the rate of income generated from undergraduate students’ fees to act wildly. Being the cause therefore oscillatory behaviour perhaps lax if enrolments grew continuously in the successive academic years, however, this would mark progressive manner if there will be reciprocal efforts to improve physical and electronic resources imbued by human resources capacity. Higher learning institutions could diversify their income generation strategies from multiplicity sources of incomes by using various techniques, including rising students’ fees and downhill expenses without compromising quality of services and products, reducing dependency on Government subsidies, and strengthening the rate of students’ retention in higher learning. They may also utilize to the maximum the unobserved multiplicity sources of incomes for instance; consultation fees, project funds, and new competitive learning programs to support realization of their strategic objectives in coherence with their missions and visions. Keywords: Enrolment, Generation, Income, Interpolation, Lagrange, Polynomial DOI : 10.7176/MTM/9-5-05 Publication date :May 31 st 2019

MICROFINANCE SERVICES AND INCOME ALLOCATION OF RETAIL ENTREPRENEURS IN SAN PABLO CITY, LAGUNA PHILIPPINES

Efficient allocation of resources is a challenge for entrepreneurs. Income generated by entrepreneurs are used to finance both business and personal needs. At times, these needs exceed income generated and entrepreneurs seek financial assistance from microfinancing institutions. This paper looks at the significant influence of microfinance services extended to retail entrepreneurs of San Pablo City, Laguna and the extent retail entrepreneurs improve income generation from business operations. From the responses of the 100 selected entrepreneurs, answers for the following were drawn: (1) microfinance services offered to and availed by retail entrepreneurs; and (2) how income or operations have been improved. Correlation analysis revealed that microfinance services have significant influence on income generation. Furthermore, it is imperative that an active educational campaign on proper income management should be implemented in the locality.

DETERMINANTS OF SUSTAINABLE INCOME GENERATION AMONG FISH PROCESSORS IN ABEOKUTA METROPOLIS, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

This study was carried out to assess determinants of sustainable income generation among fish processors in Abeokuta Metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria. Eighty fish processors were randomly selected from five communities. Data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that majority (71.3%) used traditional kiln for processing their fish while 23.7% fried fish in hot vegetable oil. Respondents sourced credit from personal savings (48.8%), cooperatives (27.5%), and friends and family (17.5%) for fish processing activities. Respondents generated an average monthly income (gross profit) of ₦28,000.00 from roasted fish, ₦14,000.00 from dried fish, and ₦20,800.00 from fried fish. However, inadequate processing equipment (95.0%) affected fish processing in the study area. Results of regression showed that personal characteristics of the respondents, processing methods and constraints have influence on income generated at p &lt; 0.05 level of significance. The study therefore recommends that fish processors should adopt modern method of fish processing while subsidized equipment should be made available by the government to the fish processors in the study area.&#x0D;