Milk production and intake in many countries in the African continent is very essential in the daily lives of communities. Dairy is not only at the center of community welfare from North to Southern portions of Africa, but it remains a vital component of economic viability in terms of employment and income generation and nutritional intake in many countries. Yet, over the last several years, milk production among nations continues to be besieged by multiplicity of challenges that are both regional, global, and local in nature and somewhat compounded by current policy in the continent regarding marketing access to foreign producers and limited intake below the required thresholds in the globe. Being a continent with the lowest median age in the world with many very young citizens, one would assume that in the context of food security, public enlightenment campaigns over regular milk and dairy intake should be the norm, but that has not always been the case. At the same time, the problem seems compounded by the current pace at which many European Union nations are turning the African continent into a dumping ground of imported milk. This anomaly impacts the capacity of local producers in meeting the rising demands among consumers. Given the current policy lapses in Africa and the ability of EU producers and other nations to exploit it in the face of limited production capacity, and regional disparities in the continent in which the North and Southern zone outpace the other areas. Very little has been done in the literature using mix scale techniques of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and descriptive statistics to capture this issue spatially. While this enquiry will fill that void in research, this paper assesses milk production trends in the continent of Africa. The study emphasizes the issues, trends, factors, and future lines of action. Accordingly, the results under the mix scale model shows rising output, and changes in production, gains and declines, regional disparities, limited usage of milk and gradual dispersion of production indices across space. In as much as the changing trends emanate from a host of socio-economic and physical and environmental factors located within the larger agricultural structure. The paper proffered five solutions ranging from education on milk intake among the public, efficient policy, monetary assistance to local producers, closure of dumping loopholes, periodic monitoring, and the design of regional and continental dairy management information system.

Cassava, as a staple in Nigeria, is not only commonly found and cultivated across many agro-ecological zones. But it serves a variety of purposes as essential raw material for industries and export commodity. Even at that, and with cassava’s external origins as a root crop introduced into the tropics. The physical conditions in Nigeria’s Lower South axis have for years provided essential bio-geoclimatic parameters like temperature, soil and climate that enabled continual boom in output. For that, cassava crop as basic farm produce, cash earner and calorie source vital to the nation’s menu, ranks high in the popular imagination and economy considering its various derivatives from gari to fufu. In fact, many locals familiar with these derivatives know that cassava as a staple responsible for 80% of the nation’s energy intake remains at the center of daily life in many Lower South communities along the South-South and Southeast zones where the produce features prominently on the daily menu. Said that, the primacy of Nigeria among the largest cassava producers globally is so obvious that her production capacity and land areas exceeds those of her competitors. Accordingly, in the last several years came unprecedented expansion and changes in several core land use indicators. Along these lines, the study area has seen widespread use of agrochemicals, rising prices, mounting threats to the ecosystem, proliferation of diseases and degradation coupled with volatility in farm commodity trade. This paradox is compounded by the underperformance of Nigeria’s cassava industry globally compared to her competitors, knowing full well that much of the output comes from the study area. In the context of all these challenges and recent efforts by government and state agencies to stem the tide and boost efficiency, the study remains an upgrade to the literature. Yet, despite the storied relevance in the political economy of the Southern region, very little exists in the literature on the state of cassava production trends and land use across time, together with a lack of knowledge on dispersion patterns essential for decision-making and elements located within the agricultural structure. Hence, this study will fill that void in research by analyzing the state of cassava land use trends in Nigeria’s Lower South with emphasis on the issues, trends, impacts, factors, efforts, and future lines of action. From the analysis, results point to changes in the form of gains and declines in many cassava land use indicators and threats to the surrounding ecology. Also, GIS mappings pinpointed a gradual diffusion in space where production, land use changes and fertilizer use held firm. With changes attributed to several socio-economic, physical (environmental) factors, the paper proffered solutions ranging from education, monitoring, regular mapping using GIS and the design of regional cassava land resource information system.

The essence of unhindered access to wind energy supply in the daily operations of most sectors of the economy from health to agriculture remains very indisputable. With the lethargic power flow in many African nations coupled with scarcity in supplies and the insecurity coming with limited access. The recourse to alternative energy continues to grow. Accordingly, South Africa has emerged as a new frontier of wind energy given the appeal and availability. Known for its low carbon footprint amidst the minimal exposures to the risks of environmental pollution now that nations are saddled with compliance to global protocols requiring the enforcement of mitigation measures in combatting climate change. The prospects of wind power integration into the large energy policy mix have garnered huge momentum in South Africa. Being the second largest economy in the continent with vast raw materials of untapped wind power in abundance in both inland and coast lines in the proximity of two oceans and desert environments. South Africa is better placed to harness the benefits of wind power to sustain its various sectors. Notwithstanding the primacy of conventional power supply, the potentials for wind energy remains widespread with the surge in new facilities coupled with its projections as the likely source of 14% of electricity by 2030 in the nation. Since this comes with ecological, physical, socio-economic impacts and some benefits, no serious efforts have been made to track the state of wind power potentials with a mix scale model. Accordingly, this study will fill that void by assessing the potentials with emphasis on the issues, trends, factors, efforts, and impacts using descriptive statistics and GIS. The results show strong capacities in wind power loads through the presence of new and existing amenities, and the dominance of the study area as a leader in wind assets in Africa. With GIS mappings pinpointing spatial concentration and the spread of wind power loads across states and provinces due to several indicators from economy to the environment. The paper proffered solutions anchored in regular monitoring, robust investment, the design of additional facilities, effective policy, and the development of a regional wind power information system and public education.

The access to agricultural subsidies optimizes the daily operations of farms in North Texas. Being an essential policy instrument for ensuring the success of government-supported agricultural program objectives among targeted groups. Over the years, the disbursement of federal agricultural assisted programs continues to flourish with the intent of boosting capacity of supposedly needy farms. While much of the aids serve ample uses in sustaining solely farms involved in a few select commodities (cotton, wheat, corn, sorghum, peanuts), together with natural disaster payments and conservation reserve programs. There is little or no consideration for fruits, vegetables, and dairy products essential for healthy living as bigger farms benefit more. Added to that are the rising use of farm nutrients made up of various volumes of pesticides and agrochemicals to boost output despite the rising risks to marshlands and the surrounding ecosystems in North Texas and subsidy induced ground water depletion along the major Aquifer. Notwithstanding the recurrent ecological implications of subsidy disbursement in the agricultural sector, very little study exists on the environmental footprints in the North Texas region under mix-scale orientation using the latest geospatial tools as analytical devices. This research will fill that void by assessing the environmental impacts of agricultural subsidy in the study area with emphasis on the issues, trends, impacts and the underlying factors. Using secondary data processed by mix scale methods of descriptive statistics connected to Geographic information Systems (GIS). The results reveal large subsidy allotment from 1995-2020 for commodities, disaster mitigation and conservation coupled with land use change, loss of farms amidst rising fertilizer use and ecosystem impacts. While GIS mappings show spatial dispersion of the trends over time with visible concentration in the ten counties, the emergent issues stem partly from several socio-economic, ecological, policy and global forces located within the larger agricultural structure. To address these concerns, the paper offered solutions ranging from the need for coherent policy, education, the design of a regional farm subsidy and environmental information system and ecological monitoring.

Water resources use in the West African region plays an essential role in the daily lives of communities. Being a region that spans across different ecozones, access to water and scarcity recurrence in some places are common. In the process, the extent of imbalance in the distribution patterns continues to fuel water insecurity and hydrological stress in the Sahel portion. This contrasts deeply with the abundance in the coastal lower South along the Gulf of Guinea. In as much as the current policy did little to ensure continual access in the zone over the years, water allotment across sectors like agriculture, industry and domestic households are on the uptick compared to the others. Even as access to potable water resources dropped in some places, meeting the stipulated global thresholds on water quality under the Millennium Development Agenda remains elusive in some of the nations. With that has come widespread pollution, degradation, depletion of the resource, limited rainfall, and the menace of drought. Hence, the problem is further compounded by several ecological (physical), and socio-economic elements located within the larger regional hydrology. This includes the changing climatic parameters, ineffective policy, rising demands, and lack of monitoring. Notwithstanding these challenges, very little has been done in the literature to analyze the issues in water resources use across the study area using the mix scale model. For that, this paper will fill that void by focusing on the challenges in a select group of countries in West Africa. Emphasis is on the issues, trends, impacts, and factors. For the purposes of analysis, the paper uses mix scale methods connected to the techniques of GIS and descriptive statistics. In applying the techniques, the results show widespread use of water and changes, the appearance of degradation, pollution, and water stress due to a set of socio-economic and physical elements. To remedy the situation, the paper proffered some solutions ranging from the education of the public on water use, the enactment of efficient policy, periodic monitoring, and the design of a regional water management information system.

The US Midwest region known for its vast network of arable farmland ranks high as the food basket of the nation and a global agricultural hub. The area stretches through a multiplicity of states and sub regions. With the intense level of farming and good soil therein, water access and security are overly crucial considering the region’s water dependent sectors from agriculture, industry, residential, energy, commercial establishments, and others with notable benefits to the communities. Notwithstanding all that, there exists a wide range of challenges to hydrological security deeply rooted in water management in the US Midwest region. The emergent worries center around declining water quality triggered by decaying infrastructure, pollution, the risks of flooding emanating from changing climate and access deprivation with spillovers to minority communities. Despite its vast network of lakes and reservoirs together with global and regional capacity as key water source, the zone faces vast concentration of usage in a few sectors. This comes in the wake of policies centered on continual access to key water assets germane to the communities and states in the region, mostly to agriculture, as well as industrial and manufacturing sectors. At the same time, very little in the literature exists on the analysis of water resource use issues in the zone via a mix scale approach anchored in Geographic Information System (GIS) and descriptive statistics. Accordingly, this enquiry will fill that void in research using mix scale methods to assess the trends. With emphasis on the issues, trends, factors, impacts, and the efforts of institutions. The results point to abundance of water assets in the zone and visible changes in usage over time in the form of gains and declines. In terms of the impacts, the region saw degradation, declines, and stress from climate change. In the process, a GIS mapping of the trends pinpointed a gradual dispersion of water use patterns of varying dimensions clustered in the region. Given that the forces of change reflect socio-economic, ecological, physical, and political factors located within the larger hydrological structure. The paper proffered solutions ranging from education, monitoring, sustainability, the design of a regional water information system and the enactment of sound policy.

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic across the globe and the spillovers to Africa in the last several months triggered serious disruptions that grounded daily activities to a halt with serious threats to human life and the economy. This left serious implications in the natural resources sectors and the environment in many nations amidst countless mishaps involving the death of infected individuals. The pace of the diffusion over the short period around the world prompted immediate shutdown of economies in the face of substantial strain on the capacity of local health facilities to contain the spread. In the case of Africa, where most western observers were obsessed with predictions of an impending doom likely to overwhelm the continent’s fragile health sector already languishing in a perennial state of neglect. What seems overlooked stems from the effects of the pandemic on Africa’s environment and natural resources industry. Being a continent heavily reliant on revenues from the global export of resource commodities traded in the marketplace. The fiscal stress from the disruptions brought by C-19 pandemic for months grounded the activities in critical sectors like agriculture, mining, oil and gas and tourism germane to the economic survival of nations in diverse regions of Africa. Aside from the contraction in revenue generating potential in commodity trading and the low mortality level below the global average from the pandemic. The emergent fiscal shock remains evident in the continent’s largest economies and natural resource rich nations like Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the same time, the continent faces the threats of food insecurity in places previously saddled by drought. Compounding the matter is the deferral of proposed initiatives to upgrade petroleum infrastructure vital in yearly output. Aside the gravity, very little exists in current research on the situation. Thus, this enquiry will fill that void by analyzing the ongoing effect of C-19 pandemic on Africa’s environment using mix-scale techniques of GIS and descriptive statistics. Emphasis is on the issues, trends, factors, impacts, efforts, and future lines of action. Results from the analysis point to visible impacts across sectors with drops in the value of core natural resource indicators and the spreading of the pressures due to socio-economic, health, ecological and global factors. To deal with that, the paper proffered solutions ranging from the infusion of government stimulus packages, improved health facilities, the design of a comprehensive continental environmental health emergency info systems, the protection of natural habitats and conservation, digital monitoring of the natural resource sector activities and interactions with ecosystem and the introduction of an effective policy with immediate ban on the wildlife trade.

GMO farming practices continue to be at the center of debates surrounding food production and varying debates on policy guiding US agriculture. On the one hand, many see the emergence of GMOs food in farming as a testament to the latest advances in technological innovations. On the other, there are those concerned about the threats posed to food safety and quality. Aside from that, in the last several years, the influence of GMOs in farming areas of the nation has gained widespread currency with applications in nutrient sprays, and the proliferation of bioengineered crops (soya bean, corn) with herbicide resistant traits and the capacity to endure weedkiller treatments that could have ruined the produces. With that came the adoption of herbicide resistant crops in which crops inserted with insect resistant traits are now vastly cultivated in areas across the country, especially the Mid-West region. Seeing the pros and cons surrounding GMOs in food production, very little exists on the issues and the areas devoted to it during production, the land use aspects, the regulatory dimensions, and distribution patterns. In view of the widespread usage of GMOs in agriculture and the dichotomy over the adoption of bioengineered alimentation in the agricultural sector. This paper will fill that void in research by assessing the adoption of GMO food production in the US Midwest with emphasis on the issues, trends, production, and land use interactions, and factors under mix scale methods based on the techniques of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and descriptive statistics. In applying the model, results point to rising changes in the proportion of areas devoted to GMO food production, concerns over the impacts, and growth in the adoption of core bio engineered crops. With all these attributed to socio-economic and ecological factors, GIS mappings of the trends, pinpointed the gradual dispersion of various indicators clustered across GMO food producing areas within the Midwest region. To remedy the concerns and the divergent positions on GMOs in US agriculture, the paper recommends education, effective policy, transparency and dialogue among opposing views and the recourse to ethical guidelines regarding the production of bioengineered food.

In the annals of Nigeria’s economic development, groundnut farming ranks high as a vital component of the nation’s prominence during the early days. Accordingly, groundnut sustained the economy at the federal and regional levels especially in the defunct Northern Nigeria through revenues generated from exports to local and foreign markets. The significance of the crop exemplifies common expressions associated with it like “groundnut pyramids” highlighting productivity and abundance of the produce. Under that scenario, in the economic imagination of the nation, groundnut farming flourished as a symbol of national wealth memorialized as iconic images in official stamps of the era and on warehouses awaiting exports with the crop stacked in bags mimicking the shape of pyramids. Such expressions deeply rooted in the fiscal policy and economic prowess in the Northern part of the country buttresses abundance of the crop in farm operations of the sector. Notwithstanding the overwhelming significance of the industry by the 1950s-1960s, the discovery and glut in oil and gas production resulted in the sudden decline of groundnut farming to the extent that, most peanut pyramids were turned into buildings instead of stacks of the produce. The other limiting factors consists of the volatility of the marketplace, changes in land use and output and other indicators located in the larger agricultural structure. Considering current initiatives to resurrect the production as part of economic diversification plans in Nigeria. Managers will benefit greatly from an in-depth assessment of the potentials and state of peanut farm activities in the North. At the same time, very little has been done in the literature to analyze the issue of groundnut production amidst decades of neglect. This enquiry will fill that void in the literature by assessing the state of groundnut farmland use under a mix scale method with focus on some selected states in Northern Nigeria. Emphasis is on the issues, trends, factors, impacts, resource analysis and efforts of institutions to sustain the sector. With results pointing to changes in land use and output over the years. The GIS mappings of the trends show gradual dispersal and expansion of groundnut producing activities into different portions of the North. Given some of the challenges and the factors that shaped changes under the rubric of socio-economic and physical forces. The paper provided recommendations ranging from education, effective land use regulation, the monitoring of groundnut farmland base, more lines of credit for farmers and the design of a groundnut farmland information system.

In the last several years, the choice of hydrological fracking as an alternative method of nonrenewable energy production in the US oil sector continues to gain currency across regions especially the Southeast and the West. In a country where fracking is no longer deemed as an exercise on the fringe amidst unprecedented expansion, economic boom, and ecological liabilities. The use of fracking techniques in shale fields remains so widespread across different states from California to Mississippi that it now constitutes 60% of the nation’s oil and gas output in the past two decades. This occurred in the face of favorable regulatory environments that catapulted the US atop global ranking of oil producers. While this has resulted in ample generation of revenues and job prospects in the respective states, communities in those places have endured grim impacts and risks on their ecosystems in the form of pollution, degradation, hydrological stress, induced seismicity, land disturbance and greenhouse gas emissions. Aside from efforts of the sector, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders in the search for a common ground on the issues. The mounting ecological liabilities has in many cases aggravated tensions between affected communities and the oil sector. Yet, very little studies exist on the vulnerability of the study area to the impacts of hydraulic fracking using mix scale method of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and energy statistics. Even when data is available, the sketchy nature tends to mar analytical proficiency given the lack of an accessible regional energy information system. Accordingly, this enquiry will fill that void by assessing the issues in hydraulic fracking in the study area. Emphasis are on the issues, trends, factors, impacts and efforts using techniques of GIS and descriptive statistics. Just as the results revealed a surge in production activities and revenues, the impacts consist of sizable use of water and chemicals together with extensive pollution, the disturbance of fragile landscapes and ecosystem decline. Additionally, GIS mappings pinpointed a gradual spread of production activities and concentration of risks across states in the zone due to several socio-economic and physical elements located withing the larger energy structure. To remedy the situation, the paper proffered solutions ranging from ecological monitoring to the design of a regional energy information system, effective policy, community participation/education of the public and the formation of an interagency task force.

Recent narratives in various areas of Africa reveals the growing influence of China in many facets of the economy with a hold on the control of the continent’s natural resources based on invitation. Just as every nation has a right to trade with others, commerce remains the life blood of many African countries where natural resources commodity flow stands as the economic engine driving the generation of revenues. While African countries rely on the ensuing bilateral deals often tagged as resources for infrastructure swaps. The lust for foreign assisted programs in economic development in exchange for natural resources access among African countries over the years provided an opening for China’s presence in the spirit of global commerce in the continent. While China’s robust investments in physical development, renewable and non-renewable resources can no longer be dismissed as solely a pretense to aid African development in exchange for something given some of the upsides. The scale of these activities continues to have profound effects on the ecology of the countries in the continent in the form of degradation of natural areas, deforestation, and erosion of biodiversity. Yet very little exists in current studies to assess the ecological risks from the growing presence of China and the scramble for Africa’s natural resources. For that, this enquiry will fill that void by using mix-scale methods of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and descriptive statistics in assessing China’s presence and the quest for natural resources in the continent. Emphasis are on the issues, trends, factors, impacts and efforts. The results reveal vast exploitative activities directed at renewable and nonrenewable assets involving mineral ores, oil and gas, lumber, and fishery with notable impacts on the ecosystem. With the effects manifested in the form of environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion and fiscal burdens on African nations. The problems come from a whole range of socio-economic, policy, and environmental factors located in the larger global system. As a remedy, the paper suggests the need for ethics and transparency, tight fiscal policy, ecological monitoring, enlightenment campaigns, public input in bilateral deals and the design of an interactive natural resource information system for Africa.

The West African region as an emerging frontier in untapped natural resource market is now at the receiving end of illegal shipment of unwanted Electronic waste (E-waste) to vulnerable populations in different countries. Like many areas in the global south, West Africa finds itself in an unwanted place as the preferred graveyard for dumping these items. Besides, many view the trade in second hand electronic items as fiscal gold mine with greater potentials to improve the welfare of citizens in West Africa. This comes under the guise of trading in used shipments from Europe and the US for the purposes of creating new jobs in the West African region, despite the unlawful nature. Given the overall public health risks to those drawn to the sector in lieu of life-threatening exposure to ailments and ecosystem degradation. The receiving nations like Nigeria, Ivory coast, and Ghana have not only endured widespread risks to their water sources in areas adjacent to dump sites. But, over the past years, E-waste operations have grown to troubling proportions in the region as the abandoned components littered in local landfills undercut the aesthetic beauty of cities. With people unaware of the hazards, scavengers, haulers, and technicians regularly exposed to doses of E-waste contaminants face serious health problems. Just as the exposures to E-waste chemicals trigger the hospitalization of victims across West Africa, little has been done to assess the frequency of the problems and the ecological impacts using mix scale techniques. For that, this enquiry will fill that void by assessing the state of E-wastes and the risks in the West African region with emphasis on the issues, trends, impacts, factors, and efforts using secondary data connected to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and descriptive statistics to track the patterns. The results show increases in the volume of E-waste dumping in the region over the years with impacts on the ecosystem coupled with public health risks. The GIS mapping of the trends pinpointed spatial dispersion of risks and stressors across different clusters of areas in the zone with the problems linked to factors ranging from socio-economic variables, policy, and physical forces. For remedy, the paper proffered various solutions such as effective laws, regular monitoring, sectoral reforms, public enlightenment program and the design of a regional E-waste information system.