UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES,GHANA CENTER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION AND INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH (CCEIR), NAVRONGO
A PROPOSAL BY MUMUNI ELIASU For A MASTER OF ART DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD CHANGE INTRODUCTION 1.2 Background Since the beginning of civilization of mankind, man found the use of minerals as indispensable material in sustaining life with the “lion cave” being the oldest known mine from Swaziland which proved to be about 43,000 years old. Hungary and the Ancient Egypt also mined flint and malachite respectively for weaponry tools and ornaments. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining) Mining generally is the extraction of valuable mineral deposits or other geological materials from the ground or earth. These deposits could be gold, bauxite, manganese, precious metals, diamond, oil, coal, limestone and many others. Any material that cannot be grown through agricultural processes created artificially in a laboratory or factory is normally mined. Mining normally involves prospecting for the mineral and final exploration if found, in the form of surface (strip) or underground mining. Surface mining is when the soil and rocks overlying the mineral deposits are removed. It is used when deposits of commercially useful minerals or rocks are found near the surface; that is, where the overburden(surface material covering the valuable deposit) is relatively thin or the material of interest is structurally unsuitable for tunneling (as would usually be the case for sand, cinder, and gravel). Surface mining is safer than underground mining because the miners are not exposed to such potential hazards as roof falls, to explosions caused by methane gas or dust ignitions, and to coal-worker pneumoconiosis (black lung) caused by long-term exposure to respirable coal dust. In underground mining, the ore body is normally too deep for surface or open cut to be done and the overlying rock is left in place whilst the minerals are removed through shafts or tunnels. Ventilation is normally provided in underground mining, but in cases of uranium, care must be taken to avoid or minimized radiation exposure and dust inhalation. Entry into underground mines is by vertical shafts, or by a sloping tunnel, called a 'decline'. Some very large underground mines have both. {draw:frame} Fig. 1. A mine worker with Bauxite stone (Source: Mineral Commission, Ghana) {draw:frame} Fig. 2. Deep Pit Mine in Honduras. {draw:frame} Fig.3 Goldfields Mine (Open Deep Pit), Tarkwa There have been significant contributions of mining to various economies in the world especially in countries where these deposits are found. These countries have had good foreign exchange, increase in revenues from mining companies, employment creation and social services as part of their social and corporate responsibilities. Mining started over centuries now since the colonial days. Small-scale mining also known as “galamsey’ was legalized by the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC) law 218, 1989, in both small and commercial forms which are bringing some economic benefits in the form of taxes and royalties to the country. The nation drives bulk of its external revenue from gold mining which accounts for over 90% of the country’s mineral export. Apart from gold, Ghana produces significant quantities of diamonds and bauxite and counted amongst the top five countries producing manganese ore. As of June 2006, 66 local and 47 foreign companies held prospecting/reconnaissance licenses. Additionally, 31 companies had been granted mining concession leases. Many of the companies holding exploration licenses are focusing on gold exploration (Ghana Chamber of Mines, 2006). {draw:frame} Fig. 4 Mineral deposits in Ghana But there is no much the country can show from this activity for these years comparing it to Johannesburg and Australia which had visible proceeds from mining. Rather it’s social, environmental and health effects are enormous in Ghana. Mining since its discovery as an activity has brought a negative impact on the environment both during and after the process calling for a concern worldwide. According to the International Labor Organisation (ILO), mining is one of the world's most hazardous sectors, and is associated with about 15,000 deaths each year (ILO: 1997). In South Africa for instance, each ton of gold mined cost 1 life and 12 serious injuries (Africa Agenda: 1997). Use of cyanide to leach minerals and arsenic contamination of surface, ground water and plants through soils makes it hazardous apart from its environmental contamination. This has serious health implications on all living things. Agriculture in Ghana has suffered the most palpable neglect over the years especially in the mining areas. So many cocoa farmers have had to reluctantly give up their ancestral farmlands spanning from four to five generations to some mining companies. It is usually the case that when mining companies acquire a land in a community for prospecting, the local farmers are required to abandon their farms. They are paid some compensation, though, but these compensations never meet any economic or moral requirement for such huge losses. Meanwhile, between 1993 and 1997 mining contributed just 1.5% to Ghana’s GDP as against agriculture’s 40%. It is estimated for instance, that since 1985 Ghana has attracted external investment in the gold sector alone to the tune of over US$ 3.2 billion in new mine development and expansion. Despite these huge figures, it is widely believed that only about 10% of the value of gold comes to the country. Pittances are paid to these farmers and their cocoa trees and other crops are destroyed to make way for mining. In developing countries like Ghana where about 65% of the population engages in agriculture as the only source of livelihood, any activity like mining that claims vast arable lands will create food insufficiency. The mining sector in Ghana earned an unbelievable amount of US$ 2,099.43 million in 1999 (Dogbevi Emmanuel, 2009) and $2.2billion in 2008 (Ghana Chamber of Mines, 2008), but how much did Ghana had when these huge earnings were made at the expense of lives and property belonging to the ordinary Ghanaians whose peaceful and subsistent lifestyles had to be sacrificed on the altar of national economic expedience. 1.3 Problem Statement Agricultural productivity over the years have gradually decline especially in areas where mineral deposits like gold, diamond and others are found. Asutifi is no exception with the presence of Newmont Ghana Gold Mining Limited in the area and this has eminent adverse impact on the food security situation and levels of poverty in the area and the country at large. Agriculture is the main stay of the Ghanaian economy with 70% of the population engaged in it indicating that any threat to that sector will cause further damage to the fragile economy (GLSS, 2008). Mining is seen to have had several adverse impacts on the environment, health of the people, livelihood destructions and decline in agricultural productivity in the district. Hence assessing the socio economic effects of mining activity on agriculture is therefore important and eminent to ensure agricultural security and productivity for sustainable development. It will be important for the researcher to find out the availability and accessibility of land for farming in the area. It is also equally important to find out the levels of productivity of crop produce in the mining area. Besides, there is the need to determine the income levels of farmers in the study areas of the district and see how it impact on their livelihoods. Finally, exploring the levels and forms of land degradation in the mining areas will also be paramount. 1.4 Research Questions The purpose of this study is to seek and address the following research questions: Has mining decreased the size of farm lands in the study area? What are the current levels of productivity of crops in the study area? Is labour supply short for agricultural purposes? Has mining contributed to the low income levels of farmers in the study area? How is the impact of mining on the health of farmers in the district? To find out if the mining activity has decreased the size of farm lands in the study area. To find out if the production levels of crops have decreased as a result of mining. To determine the level of labor supply to agricultural production in the study area. To find out the perception about the health implications of mining on farmers in the area. To estimate the socio economic effects of the mining activity on agriculture in the three study areas. 1.6 Motivation for the study Properties including farmlands have been lost or destroyed as a result of the mining activities. Many people, particularly farmers have often been affected through the disruption of their farms which are their main source of livelihoods. On health, reports indicate that commercial sex workers have migrated to Kenyasi and reported cases of HIV/AIDS infections at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Hospital in Kenyasi has been on the increase since the mining activities started in the area (Action Aid, 2005). These existing challenges in the study district motivated the researcher to research in to the socio economic impact or effects of the mining activities on agriculture in the district to ascertain whether the productivity of agriculture has really fallen or otherwise. Results or findings from the study will help decision makers like government and even the mining companies to know the level of adverse impacts of mining on agriculture and prepare serious mitigation measures and solutions to all affected stakeholders in the chain link. Again it will also contribute to existing literature and knowledge base on the subject of mining for study and references. Lastly, no research has been done in this area, hence the need to research in to it. LITERATURE REVIEW This section which will be chapter two will review literature according to the objectives of the study and the general impacts of mining. It will also touch on the social, economic, environmental, health and agricultural impacts of mining. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY {text:list-item} This section will discuss how data employed in the study will be collected. These include the data collection, sampling method, questionnaire administration and data analysis 3.2.1 *Data* collection The data to be gathered for study will be predominantly qualitative and quantitative in line with the specific research objectives. It will consist of a primary and secondary data. The primary data will be derived from relevant individuals, groups through focal group discussions, interviewing key and relevant informants, observations and questionnaires administration. The questionnaire to be used will be both the open and close ended type questionnaires. It will be categorized in to three sections touching on the socio demographic features, the socio economic impacts and the general perception of mining and its activities on agriculture. The researcher will use questionnaire because it will greatly help respondents give specific and direct answers to questions asked. It will also not allow the interviewer to go beyond any extra questioning that will not contribute to achieving the stipulated research objectives. But prior to the interview, a focus group discussion would be undertaken to explain the purpose of the study and the questionnaire to them. Respondents who can read would be given the questionnaire to answer while those who cannot read and understand would be interviewed. Pre-testing of the questionnaire will be done at Kenyasi No. 2 another mining community to help the research fine tune irrelevant questions, improve on the skills of the questionnaire administrators in order to have reliable and efficient data. ORGANISATION OF THE STUDY Chapter one will be the introduction of the study. Chapter two will be a review of literature according the objectives of the study and the general impacts of mining. It will touch on social, economic, environmental, health and agricultural impacts of mining. Chapter three will also be on the methodology of the study. This will take in to consideration the hypothesis of the study, the theoretical and empirical frameworks related to the specific objectives and data collection techniques of the study. It follows with chapter four where the data or results taken would be analyzed and discussed. Lastly chapter five will be on conclusion and recommendation of the study. UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES QUESTIONAIRE NAME OF COMMUNITY………………………………………… SOCIO -DEMOGRAPHIC FEATURES Name of respondent…………………………………………. Age…………………………………………………………………… {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Sex/Gender Ethnicity……………………………………………………………... Religion……………………………………………………………….. Occupation…………………………………………………………… {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Marital Status {draw:rect} Married: Yes No Others ……………….. Do you have dependants in your family/household? How many dependants? -------------------------------------------------------------------- {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Type of accommodation living in. Owned Rented Family house SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACTS {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Do you engage in agriculture? {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} If yes, what form of agriculture? Since when did you engage in this vocation? How many acres of land do you cultivate now?………………………………… How many acres did you start with?..................................................................... What types of crops do you cultivate?.................................................................... {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Has the yield of you crops changed? Yes No If yes, what is the cause of the change? ………………………………………………………........................................ {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} How did you get this land for the farming? Outright purchase Inheritance Rent/Lease If rented or purchased, how does it cost you for a season? ………………………………………………………………… Is it difficult to acquire land now for farming? {draw:rect} {draw:rect} How much is your monthly income from agriculture? {draw:rect} {draw:rect} GH¢500- ¢1000 ¢1000-1500 ¢1500-2000 More than ¢2,000 What other job to do you do apart from agriculture? {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} What types of expenses do you incur in your household? How much compensation do you get for an acre of crop produce destroyed? ¢……………………………………………………………………………. Do you have dependants in your family/household? How many dependants? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- What type of labor do you use on your farm? If hired, how much do you pay per man day of work in the farm? ………………………………………………………………… Is there available labor for your farm activities always? If No, what is the reason or cause? ……………………………………………………………………………………. What is your average yield of crops per acre now? …………………………………………………………………… What is the average yield in the last 8 years? ………………………………………………………………… What is the average price per bag of your crop produce? …………………………………………………………………. {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Do you like the activities of mining in this area? {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Has your water sources been polluted by cyanide spillage or another waste from mining? PERCEPTION OF MINING EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Mining activities has taken over all farm lands meant for food production. Don not know {draw:rect} {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Mining activities have created labor shortages for agricultural purposes. Don not know {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Sexually transmitted diseases have increased due to mining of gold in this community. {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Incomes of households in this community have increased due to the mining activities. Mining has polluted the water sources meant for household use and agricultural purposes. Don not know Mining causes land degradation Don not know Compensations for destroying farms by mining companies are lucrative than owning the farms. Don not know Air pollution has increased in this area because of the mining activities. Don not know Mining activities in this area has caused many sicknesses for people. Don not know {draw:rect} {draw:rect} Mining companies have developed your community better than ever. Ahafo South Project Planning Alliance_ (2005)_. Resettlement Action Plan. 205-317 Adelaide St. W.Toronto, Canada Akabzaa, A. & Darimani, (2001)_. Impact of Mining Sector Investment in Ghana: A study of the Tarkwa Mining Region_. A report prepared for SAPRI. edogbevi@hotmail.com. Accra, Ghana Ghana Population and Housing Census (2000), Ghana Statiscal Services Department. Accra. Ghana Statiscal Service.(2008) Ghana Living Standards Survey-GLISS, Accra Ghanaian Chronicle (2009). Newmont Mining Corporation Depleting Ghana’s Forest Reserves? 11th July Edition. Accra, Ghana Mining. www.wikipedia.org/wiki/mining Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, (2005). Social and Community Development. Accra.