Implications of Micro-Level Fractal Poverty Traps on Poverty Reduction Strategies at Meso and Macro Levels

Poverty, particularly in developing countries, is endemic and has attained a crisis stage. It is compounded by conflicts, corrupt/inefficient governments and other manmade issues that seem to keep people in perpetual deprivation and want. Although serious, this poverty trap is fixable. This paper reports on an ongoing research about poverty reduction strategies. It is based on the proposition that the first step in poverty reduction is understanding what makes an agent trapped. Therefore, this paper conceptualises poverty traps as fractal, self-perpetuating conditions when individuals are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty and continue to suffer from undesirable hardships for a long period of time. Using the neo-classical economic development theory and data obtained from the United Nations Development Programme, this paper argues that current poverty reduction strategies, which have been in use over the last five decades, have been ineffective. From the experiences of one of the authors in poverty reduction over the last two decades, a new poverty reduction strategy that focuses on individuals is thus proposed. This strategy uses the synergetic concept that indicates the simultaneous causation of poverty through the interaction between the individual and the context. This paper demonstrates that individuals in poverty are caught between externalisation and internalisation of conditions that are nonetheless transient and removable. Based on this new understanding, a four-stage interactive model called Learn, Relate and Adapt (LERA) is proposed for use in poverty research and the poverty reduction implementation strategy. Keywords/Phrases: poverty, fractal poverty, neo-classical economic development model, synergetics, LERA Mode

Cadmium geochemistry and groundwater pollution status evaluation using indexing and spatial analysis for Keffe community and Environs Sokoto Basin, North Western Nigeria

Representative groundwater samples were collected from the Kaffe community and environs to evaluate the concentrations and geochemical constraints for mobilizing cadmium (Cd) and selected heavy metals. Field-based in-situ measurements of physicochemical parameters were combined with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer analysis of dissolved elemental concentrations. Pollution indices (i.e. heavy metal pollution index; HPI, heavy metal evaluation index; HEI, contamination degree; Cd, metal index; MI, synthetic pollution index; SPI, ecological risk index; ERI and Nemerow index; NI) evaluations highlighted the levels of heavy metals in the groundwater. Cadmium and iron (Fe) concentrations exceeded the recommended limits in 97% of the analysed samples, with an average pH of 6.3. Strong positive correlations were observed between cadmium and the computed pollution indices (p 0.774 to p 0.100), suggesting significant Cd pollution of the groundwater. Components analysis grouped Cd, Fe, and the pollution indices in the first PC. This was favourably compared to the correlation analysis result. Cluster analysis categorized Cd, Zn and pH in the first cluster consistent with the suggested dissolution and enrichment of Cd and Zn in the groundwater under similar geochemical conditions. The study area is medium and moderately polluted based on HPI, HEI, Cd, and NI

Heavy metals pollution indexing, geospatial and statistical approaches of groundwater within Challawa and Sharada industrial areas, Kano City, North-Western Nigeria

Abstract The present study focused on pollution status of groundwater in the industrial areas of Challawa and Sharada in Kano city based on pollution indices, statistical and spatial analyses. Twenty groundwater samples representing groundwater of the studied areas (Ten from each area) were analyzed for the presence of Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, Mn and Zn using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The result showed 95%, 5%, 60%, 15% and 25% of the analyzed water samples had detectable Cd, Cr, Ni, Fe, and Mn above the drinking water limits of both Nigerian standards for drinking water quality NSDWQ and World Health Organization (WHO) with Cd dominating other analyzed heavy metals in the groundwater. Evaluation of heavy metal pollution revealed a low polluted status based on the contaminant index (Cd), synthetic pollution index, heavy metals evaluation index, and heavy metal pollution index. Metal index categorized the groundwater as seriously polluted. The statistical evaluation gave strong and positive correlations between indices and a moderate one between the metallic ions. Component analysis revealed a strongly positive loading of Fe, Ni and Zn while Cd had a strong negative loading. Cr and Mn were positive and moderately loaded. Statistical analyses suggested both anthropogenic and geogenic sources for the heavy metals mainly from the industrial and agricultural practices and rock weathering processes, respectively. This study is expected to be a useful tool in the planning, monitoring and mitigation of pollution activities in the area. Article Highlights The pollution status of groundwater with respect to heavy metals was investigated in the Challawa and Sharada industrials zones in Kano city Nigeria The concentration of Cd, Fe, Ni, Cr Mn and Zn was determined using the AAS Different Pollution indices of HPI, HEI, SPI, Cd and MI were utilized to categorized the area as low, medium and highly polluted. Spatial and temporal distribution maps demarcated based on the metal concentrations and computed indices in the area. CA, PCA, and HCA were used to identified the geochemistry, relationship, sources and origin of heavy metals in groundwater. The study revealed zones with low to high-risk groundwater in terms of toxic heavy metals and pollution status