Introducing AfroGrid, a unified framework for environmental conflict research in Africa

In this study, we present Afro-Grid: an integrated, disaggregated 0.5-degree grid-month dataset on conflict, environmental stress, and socioeconomic features in Africa covering 1989–2020, intended to propel research on these issues forward. Afro-Grid offers several important extensions for researchers and policymakers, including: (i) standardizing (using established methods) data sources on conflict, environmental stress, and socio economic factors across spatial and temporal scales; (ii) combining these data into a single, openly-available file, maximizing the accessibility of these data for researchers and policymakers regardless of their software background; and (iii) including NDVI and dual-series harmonized night lights series that have traditionally not been accessible to researchers without advanced computational expertise. Using a series of comparative regressions at the grid-month and grid-year levels, combined with reporting descriptive statistics and visualizations, we illustrate that this temporally and geographically disaggregated dataset provides valuable extensions for research related to the climate-conflict nexus and the role of socioeconomic features in shaping conflict trends, as well as for research and data-driven policy on development and conflict.

information from the GED dataset.
2. ged_nonstateall non-state-conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
3. ged_viol_totall one-sided violence incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
4. ged_viol_stateall one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by a state actor (i.e., an actor recorded as "Government" in the side_a column of the GED) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
5. ged_viol_nonstateall one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by a state actor (i.e., an actor NOT recorded as "Government" in the side_a column of the GED) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
6. ged_state_fatal_besttotal best fatality estimates for all state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
7. ged_state_fatal_hightotal highest fatality estimates for all state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
8. ged_state_fatal_low -total lowest fatality estimates for all state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
9. ged_state_fatal_sideatotal fatality estimates for initiating actor from all state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
10. ged_state_fatal_sidebtotal fatality estimates for target actor from all state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
11. ged_nonstate_fatal_besttotal best fatality estimates for all non-state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
12. ged_nonstate_fatal_hightotal highest fatality estimates for all non-state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
13. ged_nonstate_fatal_lowtotal lowest fatality estimates for all non-state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
14. ged_nonstate_fatal_sideatotal fatality estimates for initiating actor from all non-state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
15. ged_nonstate_fatal_sidebtotal fatality estimates for target actor from all non-state conflict incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
16. ged_viol_fatal_tot_besttotal best fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
17. ged_viol_fatal_tot_hightotal highest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
18. ged_viol_fatal_tot_lowtotal lowest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
19. ged_viol_fatal_state_besttotal best fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by state actors (as defined in (4)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
20. ged_viol_fatal_state_hightotal highest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by state actors (as defined in (4)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
21. ged_viol_fatal_state_lowtotal lowest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by state actors (as defined in (4)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
22. ged_viol_fatal_nonstate_besttotal best fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by non-state actors (as defined in (5)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
23. ged_viol_fatal_nonstate_hightotal highest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by non-state actors (as defined in (5)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
24. ged_viol_fatal_nonstate_lowtotal lowest fatality estimates for all one-sided violence incidents perpetrated by non-state actors (as defined in (5)) recorded in a given cell month based on information from the GED dataset.
4 ACLED 25. acled_battle_state -all incidents defined as "battles" initiated by state forces recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
26. acled_battle_rebel -all incidents defined as "battles" initiated by rebel groups recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
27. acled_battle_polmil -all incidents defined as "battles" initiated by political militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
28. acled_battle_idmil -all incidents defined as "battles" initiated by identity militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
29. acled_remote_state -all incidents defined as "explosions/remote violence" initiated by state forces recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
30. acled_remote_rebel -all incidents defined as "explosions/remote violence" initiated by rebel groups recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
31. acled_remote_polmil -all incidents defined as "explosions/remote violence" initiated by political militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
32. acled_remote_idmil -all incidents defined as "explosions/remote violence" initiated by identity militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
33. acled_viol_state -all incidents defined as "violence against civilians" initiated by state forces recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
34. acled_viol_rebelall incidents defined as "violence against civilians" initiated by rebel groups recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
35. acled_viol_polmil -all incidents defined as "violence against civilians" initiated by political militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
36. acled_viol_idmil -all incidents defined as "violence against civilians" initiated by identity militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
37. acled_riots -all incidents defined as "riots" initiated by rioters recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.

acled_protestsall incidents defined as "protests" initiated by protesters recorded in a
given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
39. acled_fatal_statetotal fatality estimates from all conflict incidents initiated by state forces recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
40. acled_fatal_rebeltotal fatality estimates from all conflict incidents initiated by rebel groups recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
41. acled_fatal_polmiltotal fatality estimates from all conflict incidents initiated by political militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.
42. acled_fatal_idmiltotal fatality estimates from all conflict incidents initiated by identity militias recorded in a given cell month based on information from the ACLED database.   66. scad_spont_demoall new/ongoing campaigns defined as "spontaneous demonstrations" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
67. scad_viol_riot -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "organized violent riot" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
68. scad_spont_riot -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "spontaneous violent riot" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
69. scad_gen_strike -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "general strike" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
70. scad_lim_strike -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "limited strike" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
8 71. scad_gov_repall new/ongoing campaigns defined as "pro-government violence (repression)" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
72. scad_anti_gov -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "anti-government violence" recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
73. scad_nsa_viol -all new/ongoing campaigns defined as "extra-government violence" by non-state groups recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.
74. scad_int_govall new/ongoing campaigns defined as "intra-government violence" between two armed factions associated with different elements within the government recorded in a given cell month based on information from the SCAD dataset.

ID indicators
85. monththe month during which each grid cell was observed.
86. yearthe year during which each grid cell was observed.
87. yma year-month-day format, where month corresponds to (86), year corresponds to (87), and the day is the first day of the month (always 1).