Farmland Loss and Livelihood Effects: Diamond and Gold Mining Implications on Farmers’ Sustainability in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Mining businesses are problematic in developing countries because they intrude on farming ecologies, rendering arable lands almost unavailable to farmers and making them unproductive. This paper expounds on the impact of agricultural land loss on mining activities in Kenema, as farming is the primary source of income for the locals; nevertheless, small-farm holdings are a definitive characteristic of this district. Using perceptions-based data gathered from 358 respondents, the software STATA 14 was employed to analyse the ordinal logit model. The results suggest that though mining operations gave the community quick income and short-term jobs, the negative impacts on farmers’ livelihood and outcomes surpass the benefits. The challenges farmers face from mining activities are Water pollution, displacement from their lands, and agricultural land degradation, and most get into illegal mining due to these constraints. This is mirrored in the average cultivation area of about 4 acres, with a relatively small harvest and an average monthly farm income of less than USD 40. Moreover, the results disclosed that the mines had increased land concession with less or no land reclamation or restoration. Therefore, it is recommended that all parties involved use a standardized method of communication that will prevent mining-related farmland encroachment. Moreover, it is good that authorities empower environmental law-enforcing bodies to monitor mining operations closely to ensure total compliance with the laws of the land management system.