Environmental and socio-economic impacts of artisanal gold mining on agricultural production in Sikasso region, Mali

Abstract

In West Africa, artisanal gold mining competes with agriculture, more specifically crop farming and livestock keeping. Mali is not an exceptional to this observation. In Sikasso region, women and youths have been reported to abandon agricultural activities for artisanal gold mining. It is against this background that this study was conducted to assess the factors that influenced households to be engaged in artisanal gold mining, to evaluate its impacts on water quality, subsistence crops, livestock production and to assess income sources of households in Sikasso region. This study was conducted using mixed methods approach: a Cross-Sectional survey as well as an ecological survey. The study used exploratory and descriptive methods as a research design and random sampling. The research tools used were structured questionnaire, focus group discussion, key informant interviews, observation check-list and secondary data review. Water sample collection and sample processing and analysis were done as per APHA protocols. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as Pearson’s Chi-square and correlation, logistic and multiple leaner regressions. The factors that had significant influence on artisanal gold mining included profession (χ2 = 96.8; p < 0.001), nativity (χ2 = 78.1; p < 0.001) and education level (χ2 = 22.9; p < 0.001) of the respondents. The concentration of cadmium and lead in the sampled water significantly exceeded WHO drinking water quality guidelines (p < 0.05). However, the concentration of Arsenic in water samples was not significantly different from the WHO drinking water quality guidelines. Artisanal gold mining impacted significantly on cereals crops (χ2 = 13.9; p < 0.001), vegetable farming (χ2 = 48.9; p < 0.001) and composting (χ2 = 61.6; p < 0.001). Further, artisanal gold mining significantly affected cattle, goat and sheep production (χ2 = 58.3; χ2 = 13.9; χ2 = 27.5; p<0.001) respectively. The study findings indicate that artisanal gold mining has negative effects on water quality as well as crop and livestock production. Artisanal gold mining has led to reduced labour for agricultural production thus minimized agricultural outputs. This will impact heavily on food and nutritional security not only for Mali but also the entire West African region. In addition, the income sources of households were influenced by profession, nativity, gender, age, education level and family size. These findings will contribute towards environmental conservation and safeguarding livelihoods, environmental and human health in Sikasso region. Further, the findings will contribute towards sustainable agriculture and hence enhanced food security in the region and the country in general.