The Effect Of Mining Activities On Smallholder Agriculture: The Case Of Male And Female Farmers In The Mpohor Mining Area Of Ghana

ABSTRACT The study employed the sustainable livelihood approach to investigate the effect of mining activities on male and female smallholder farmers in the Mpohor District mining area. In addition, livelihood assets of smallholder farmers, heavy metal concentrations in farm soils, the livelihood strategies employed by the smallholder farmers and institutional support to the smallholder farmer in the management of the effect of mining activities were also assessed. Five communities namely; Mpohor, Adum Banso, Obrayebona, Mpohor Yabiw and Awunakrom within the mining area were selected for the study. The data collection tools used to assess the livelihood assets, effect of mining, livelihood strategies and institutional support were household questionnaire surveys, focus group discussion and structured interviews. A total of 206 farmers were administered questionnaires, three focus group discussions were held and six structured interviews were conducted for relevant information. The findings of the study indicated that male smallholder farmers have relative advantage in the acquisition of all livelihood assets (human, social, natural physical and financial assets) than their female counterparts. The study further revealed that, mining has caused more negative effects on the natural, human and physical capital of the male smallholder farmers than the female farmers, but it has equal effect on the socio-economic assets of the male and female smallholder farmers. In the selected farm soils, the concentrations of Pb, As, and Hg measured were within the acceptable limits recommended by WHO/FAO, while the concentration of Cd in all the samples were above the acceptable limit by WHO/FAO. There was also strong positive correlation between As and Hg (r=0.84) and Pb and As (r=0.65). The livelihood strategies employed by the male smallholder farmers were similar to that employed by the female farmers. It included intercropping, selling of raw agriculture produce and wage employment. Formal and informal institutional support identified were the use of law enforcement agencies, compensation and education. The study recommends that mainstreaming gender issues in the v agriculture sector must be done, taking into consideration the natural resources available to smallholder farmers as well as the socio-demographic context and livelihood assets of the female smallholder farmer.