The Analysis of Dairy Production and Milk Use in Africa Using GIS

Abstract

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.