Impact of Artisanal Mining on Environmental Sustainability and Resource Management in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Mining is a global phenomenon with severe effects on natural resources including loss of vegetation, agricultural lands and domestic water sources. Artisanal mining which is one of the human activities carried out in the rural communities of Kaduna State has severe effects on the environment and people source of livelihood. This study assesses the impact of artisanal mining on environmental sustainability and natural resource management in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A mixed-methods approach was used, which includes both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Data for the study was analysed using descriptive statistics like percentage and mean. Result of the study showed grand mean scores of 4.42 for the mining communities and 4.74 for non-mining communities, which were above 3.00 the benchmark for acceptance based on the standard for rating Likert scale. Findings of the study indicated that artisanal mining had adverse effects on vegetation distribution, agricultural lands, domestic water sources and biodiversity, grazing land, wildlife and medicinal herbs. Households face difficulties accessing these resources due to degradation by miners and other human activities. It is therefore, recommended that security personnel (vigilante groups, civil defence, police and forest guards) should put more efforts to prevent incursion of miners into the forests for mining of minerals by constant monitoring of such areas, and the need for farmers to report miners that forcefully mined minerals in their farms to security agents to be arrested and punished. There is need for adoption of environmentally friendly mining technologies or community-based resource management approaches.