Impacts of artisanal gold and diamond mining on livelihoods and the environment in the Sangha Tri-National Park landscape

The TNS includes the Lobeke National Park in Cameroon, the Ndouable-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo (RoC) and the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park and the Dzanga-Sangha Dense Special Reserve in the Central African Republic (CAR). TNS is home to around 25,000 people. Artisanal mining and other economic activities in and around the park are critical livelihoods to sustain people but can threaten the valuable TNS landscape. Small-scale miners in these countries have limited rights typical of artisanal miners, and often expose themselves to harsh working and living conditions in a high-risk context. Nonetheless, such mining activity continues to expand. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is both poverty driven and poverty alleviating; its continuing attraction is the opportunity it provides to many to secure their household’s survival, however marginal.

The main purpose of this study is to understand how artisanal mining affects livelihoods and the environment in the TNS landscape, thereby closing a general knowledge and policy gap about the nature of ASM. Specifically, the study offers recommendations that support poverty reduction by addressing key issues in small-scale mining activities in the context of sustainable management of the TNS.

Additional Info

Author(s)
T Chupezi, V Ingram, J Schure
Publication Year
2009
Associated Partners
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Language
English
Publishing Institution Webpage
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/
Data Source Classification
Program Report
Research Type
Both
Research Methodology
Primary - INTERVIEW, Primary - OBSERVATION, Primary - SURVEY, Secondary - PREVIOUS RESEARCH, Secondary - OFFICIAL STATISTICS
Thematic Tags
Social, Livelihoods, Environmental, Deforestation, Degradation, Land, Pollution
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Country
Cameroon
Last Updated
October 6, 2019