East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences (EAJ-SAS) Vol.2, No.2 Publication Date: October 20, 2020 ISSN: (Online) 2714-2051, (Print) 0856-9681 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at: http//www.mocu.ac.tz Cite this article as: Silayo, D. M. (2020). Financing rural solid waste management: A review of residential participation in Konaje gram Panchayat, East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences, 2(2), 69-80. FINANCING RURAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: A REVIEW OF RESIDENTIAL PARTICIPATION IN KONAJE GRAM PANCHAYAT, INDIA Denis M. Silayo Department of Research Studies in Economics, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri-574199, Dakshina Kannada - India Abstract Many factors impede the prevalence of healthy practices in the rural areas, rendering these areas to lag behind compared to urban areas. Introduction of sustainable practices in ensuring waste is properly managed may bring a breakthrough, among this availability of funds for waste management practices is more than essential. Waste generator’s contribution in financing proves to be sustainable than depending on any other stakeholders in waste management. A binary probit model was employed to scrutinize the residential willingness to pay for waste collection services. The study finds that burning of waste materials was highly preferred by the rural residents, more than reuse, recycle and dispose. Residents who have a high level of education, higher income, perceive waste situation to be very good, commend waste have harmful effect on human health, assume to play important role in waste management, satisfied with waste management system and attend in waste management programme are likely to be willing to pay for waste collection services. Financing rural solid waste management practices should be contributed not only by indirect stakeholders but also the participants in waste generation with supporting grounds that makes them feel responsible in waste management, this can be through pricing of recyclable waste, installing a rural residential appreciated system of waste management, encouraging and formalizing cooperative rural residential participation. Key words: Waste management, rural waste, sustainable practice. Paper type: Research paper Type of Review: Peer Review 1. INTRODUCTION Majority of rural areas are left behind in many sustainable efforts and practices and are given less concern in many circumstances. Various aspects that contribute these susceptible situations in rural areas compared to urban areas. Such aspects include low literacy rates, poor economic condition, lack of profound political representation, irresponsible leadership, and poor economic background among others… unfold and manifest in rural areas (Gao, et al, 2012). These have rendered rural areas in terms of waste management turned into waste dumping grounds for most of urban population. Waste is either unwanted materials, items of no use or those that have ended their useful life (Addai & Danso, 2014; Furedy & Lardinios, 2000) which reveals the need for waste management in the rural areas. Financing the Silayo, D. M. (2020). Financing rural solid waste management: A review of residential participation in Konaje gram Panchayat management of generated waste is intrinsic to the collection of waste (Couth & Trois, 2010), however rural areas in many studies affirm that financing towards waste management lags behind (Boadi & Kuitunen, 2004). This is due to the fact that population is widely scatted and the immediate consequences of poor waste management practices cannot be evidenced. Majority of illiterate live in the rural areas earning low income, governments put much efforts in monitoring areas highly concentrated with economic activities (urban), rural areas reveal insufficient management facilities (Seth, et al, 2014). However, depending on government financing is deemed to be less effective and not adequately sustainable, it requires residential participation in management of waste (Seth, et al, 2014). Waste generated in the rural areas mainly includes agriculture waste, animal dung, drain, dead plants and animals, street cleanings (Shah & Tiwari, 2012; Rahji, & Oloruntoba, 2009), however it may also be found that nonbiodegradable waste also exists. Apart from generated waste some of the rural areas have been turned into dumping sites for waste generated in urban areas, this increase the amount of waste that is found in the rural areas, intensifying the need for efficient management of waste. Readiness to pay for waste management services has in many studies revealed to be influenced by resident’s income (Addai & Danso, 2014) which should be also considered in terms of allocation and control of cash resources (Adebo & Ajewole, 2012). In India the waste management practice of village panchayat is governed by waste management rules under which the 15th rule of solid waste management of 2016 stipulates the duties and responsibilities of village gram panchayat among which include: planning the waste management practice as per state policy and strategy, as per waste management rules frame, the by-laws of cooperation, waste collection and segregation, establish waste deposit centres/waste recovery facilities, management of old and existing dumpsites, conduction of training and awareness in waste management, ensuring sustainable waste management practices. Proper planning and arrangement of waste management activities can be effectively done by first having not only the right information but also accurate information (Shah & Tiwari, 2012). Rural waste management is geared to ensure that waste materials are properly collected, reusable being recovered for recycling, biodegradable waste turned to compost and remnant waste properly disposed. This assures: less environmental hazards, less negative waste consequences and improvement in the living conditions in the rural areas. In view of other studies on the determinants of residential willingness to participate in financing waste management activities have revealed the influence of a resident’s age, income, level of education, health effects of waste generated, size of waste generated and quality of service (Alta & Deshaz, 1996). Many studies have been conducted in urban areas and little is available in rural and semi- rural areas. Numerous studies have been conducted on financing municipal and semi-rural India while very few are available on financing rural waste management practices. This study was attempted to describe rural waste management practices, analyze the residential willingness to participate in financing waste management practices and suggest strategies for funding rural waste management practices in rural India. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Study Area Konaje Gram Panchayat is located in Mangalore Taluka in Dakshina Kannada district of the state of Karnataka in India, was purposely selected due to it being an educational hub and for convenience. In most cases economic activities form the focal point for waste generation among all human activities, there are many economic activities that are taking place in Mangalore taluka such as shipping services, refinery factories, manufacturing industries, information technology, food processing, banking, insurance, fishing and tourism centres. The total waste generated per day amounts to 220 tons according to data recorded in The East African Journal of Social and Applied Sciences [EAJ-SAS] Vol. 2, Issue 2, 2020 70 Silayo, D. M. (2020). Financing rural solid waste management: A review of residential participation in Konaje gram Panchayat 2013, daily collected waste out of the total generated per day is 210 tons. Konaje gram panchayat has a population of 11368 (2011 Census report) living in eleven wards. 2.2 Sampling design Using the formula given by Krejcie and Morgan below a total of 320 respondents from Konaje Gram Panchayat were randomly selected in three clusters households, businesses and education centres. ( ) ( ) ( ) Where; is the table value of Chi square for 1 degree of freedom at a certain confidence level. N represents the known population, P is the population proportion assumed to be 0.5 since this would provide maximum sample size, d is the degree of accuracy expressed as a proportion of margin error, and n is the sample size. For calculations the study took a confidence level of 95% and a margin error of 5.4%, resulting to 320 sample respondents. As literature recommends on the reliability of face to face method of collecting primary data (Arrow et al, 1993) likewise questionnaires were served to each of the respondents, and questions explained in a hypothetical scheme to minimize strategic bias. Responses that were well-founded were analyzed using statistical software STATA. 2.3 Procedures In analyzing the objectives, the study used both secondary and primary data, were secondary involved review of waste management rules, published articles and books., to collect primary data a questionnaire was employed, a range of questions were asked to discern the waste management situation and the financing behavior of the rural residents of Konaje gram Panchayat, their willingness to pay for waste management services and a range of other factors. The study collected data on the willingness to pay for waste collection services, information on handling of waste, how waste is being disposed, perception on waste disposal, satisfaction with waste collection services, information on health effects of improper waste management and other demographic characteristics