Browsing by Author "Armah, N."

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    Assessing the Effect of Illegal Mining and Food Security in Juaboso District of Ghana
    (UENR, 2025-09) Armah, N.
    The main objective of this study is to assess the socioeconomic factors that influence farmers’ participation in illegal mining, food security and the effect of illegal mining on land and water in the Juaboso District. The sample frame for the study were farmers both present farmers and those who have switched to illegal mining. The study made use of the mix method approach which had to do with both qualitative and quantitative research design. Overall, 120 respondents were interviewed for the study. Primary data was collected by means of structured questionnaires. Binary logistic model was used to isolate the factors that influence farmers’ participation in illegal mining. In addition, household food insecurity access score and dietary diversity was used to assess the respondents food security status. The study showed that illegal mining has severely degraded farmland and water resources while diverting labour from agriculture, leading to farm abandonment and rising conflicts. Further, Age, sex and household size were the main socioeconomic factors that drive farmers to switch from farming to mining:. Younger farmers, households with larger sizes and males were the main group of farmers that switched from farming to illegal mining. Analysis of the respondents food security status showed that farmers were more food insecure and miners (former farmers) enjoyed higher food security and dietary diversity through cash income from mining. It is thus recommended that government and local traditional rulers should enforce policies to protect our resources and create sustainable livelihood programs targeting youths and large households.