Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining on Agricultural Labor Productivity and Household Food Security in the Ahafo Region of Ghana: Developing an Integrated Agriculture-Mining Coexistence Framework for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

Abstract

  Artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM) has become one of the most important livelihood activities in mineral-rich areas of sub-Saharan Africa. This is especially true in Ghana, where the industry has made outstanding contributions to local rural employment and household income. This conclusion has been confirmed by studies by Hilson and Maconachie (2020) and the World Bank (2023). However, the rapid expansion of ASGM has intensified competition with agriculture for labor, land, water, and other production resources. This has triggered multiple concerns, including declining agricultural productivity, environmental degradation, food insecurity, and household-level food insecurity. Studies by Arthur-Holmes and Busia (2020), the United Nations Environment Programme (2023), and Adranyi et al. (2024) also support the prevalence of this series of problems. Although mining and agriculture often coexist in rural livelihood systems, there is still a lack of clear understanding of the nature of their interaction. This gap is particularly pronounced in Ghana's Ahafo region, where these two industries are the core sources of household livelihoods. Studies by Hilson and Garforth (2013) and Li et al. (2024) both point to the existence of this research gap.