The maize commodity is of strategic significance to the South African economy as it is a stable commodity and therefore a key factor for food security. In recent times climate change has impacted on the productivity of this commodity and this has impacted trade negatively. This paper explores the intricate relationship between climatic factors and trade performance for the South African maize. Secondary annual time series data spanning 2001 to 2023, was sourced from an abstract from Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and World Bank’s Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration technique was used as an empirical model to assess the long-term and short-term relationships between explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Results of the ARDL model show that, average annual rainfall (β = 2.184, p = 0.056), fertilizer consumption (β = 1.919, p = 0.036), gross value of production (β = 1.279 , p = 0.006) and average annual surface temperature (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and change in temperature for previous years, (β = −0.650, p = 0.991) and the effects towards coefficient change for export volumes, (β = 0.669, p = 0.0007). In overall, as a recommendation, South African policymakers should consider these findings when developing strategies to mitigate the impacts of some of these climatic factors and implementing adaptive strategies for maize producers.
Catfish (Pangasianodon hypothalamus) are known in Asia, specifically in Southeast Asia. Currently, this fish has been exported to almost all countries in the world. This research aimed to examine the existing conditions of the solid waste produced, analyze the chemical composition of the waste, and look for alternatives for the policy and economical use of waste in the catfish processing business. Using the survey method, data were gathered through measurement at the research location and laboratory, interviews with business owners, and field observations. Proximate analysis was conducted on pink slime meat, belly fat, bones, and fish innards. Analysis of acid number, saponification number, iodine number, and fat fatty acid was carried out on stomach fat. Meanwhile, amino acid analysis was carried out for pink slime meat. Handling catfish industrial waste has yet to be carried out properly, which causes a foul smell and disturbs the environment. The catfish industry waste’s chemical content (protein, fat, water content, carbohydrates, and fatty acids) (pink slime meat, belly fat, fish bones, and innards) is still relatively applicable. The study processed fish waste into products like instant porridge, analogous fish sago rice, and fish sago noodles. The proximate analysis results of these products show figures that exceed the minimum standards for similar products.
At present, states and entire regions that possess significant reserves of sought-after minerals have great potential to maintain and even improve their socio-economic position in the foreseeable future. Since the beginning of 2000, the increase in mining volumes of minerals has been more than 50%; however, more than half of all extracted raw materials fall to only five leading countries: China, the USA, the Russian Federation, Australia, and India. This article presents the results of the analysis of the global structure of mineral production by type and geographic region. The article provides an in-depth analysis of the world’s leading mining companies, identifying the key players in the industry. A comprehensive overview of each company’s performance, including key financial indicators and production statistics, is presented. The main environmental risks as a result of the continued increase in the global scale of mining have been identified. The prospects for the development of the mining sector are shown. The results of the study can be used by the scientific community as an information source.
The semi-arid is a climate characterized by precipitation that is. insufficient to maintain crops and where evaporation often exceeds rainfall. Vegetation is one of the most sensitive indicators of environmental changes understanding the patterns of biodiversity distribution and what influences them is a fundamental pre-requisite for effective conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity. In this study. our focus was on examining the vegetation diversity in the semi-arid region of Tebessa. which falls within the Eastern Saharan Atlas domain in North Africa’s semi-arid zone. Plants were sampled at 15 sites distributed across the study area. The quadrat method was used to conduct floral surveys. The sampling area of each sample was 100 square meters 10 m × 10 m (quadrat). Each quadrat was measured for species richness (number of species). abundance (number of individuals). and Richness generic (plant cover). Based on the floristic research. 48 species were found. classified into 21 families. with Asteraceae accounting for 34.69% of the species and Poaceae accounting for 14.28%.
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