Effects Of Gold Mining On Sustainability Of Household Livelihoods In Rongo Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

Gold mining is one of the economic activities that households engage in to sustain them. This is done despite the known dangers that come with its extraction. This study sought to assess effects of gold mining on household livelihoods in Rongo Sub-county, Kenya and why households continue extracting it despite the known negative effects. The study was guided by the following objectives: to investigate livelihood strategies pursued by households in Rongo Sub-County, to assess the contribution of gold mining as a livelihood strategy in Rongo Sub-County and to examine relationships between gold mining and other household livelihood strategies and its implications on the sustainability of households in Rongo Sub-County, Kenya. Descriptive research design and mixed methods were used. Quantitative data was collected using household survey technique while Key Informant Interviews, Focused Group Discussions and Case Studies were deployed to collect qualitative data. The study was conceptualized on the target population which is 261 which included 223 mining households, 4 ward administrators from four wards, 4 area chiefs from four locations, two mining welfare groups which had 4 secretaries, 4 treasurers and 2 chairmen, two groups from the mining community of 6 members each and two groups from the non-mining community of 4 members each. A household survey technique was used to get the 223 mining household heads. Purposive sampling was used to get 2 ward administrators and 2 chiefs from the two mining locations and 4 secretaries, 4 treasurers, 2 chairmen from welfare mining groups because they were few and the only existing ones. Simple random sampling was used to get two groups of 6 members each from the gold mining community and two groups of 4 members each from the non-mining community members. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, photographs and observation. To ensure the reliability of the study research instruments, test re-test was done through piloting study. Content validity of research instruments was ensured by two experts from Kisii University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Department of Geography who helped at scrutinizing them. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The findings of the study revealed that about 36.9% of the miners considered gold mining as their primary activity while other 63.1% carried out gold mining alongside other activities like agriculture, wage labor and business. The study concluded that gold mining had a direct relationship with other livelihood strategies that people of Rongo sub-county engage in and further recommended that it is significant to formulate regulatory measures to ensure that gold mining is practiced within the thresholds of addressing environmental safety. The study helped in giving insights on gold mining as an activity and the factors that impede it in Rongo sub-county.