Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities – low tech, labour intensive mineral extraction and processing-continue to grow in sub-Saharan Africa. It serves as a source of livelihood to many local community dwellers. The enormous contribution of this occupation to employment generation in local communities cannot be over emphasized. Yet, the rapid proliferation of ASM has huge consequences on the environment and alternative means of livelihood such as agriculture. This article examines the socioeconomic and environmental implications of ASM in two selected mining communities in the northern part of Nigeria – Jos and Barkin, in Plateau state, Nigeria. The findings revealed that rather than complementary, the practice of ASM in Northern Nigeria has had a competitive and negative role on the survival of Agriculture in this region due to evidence of deforestation, land degradation and pollution caused by ASM. The study posits that if the dangers of ASM are not curtailed and the prospects harnessed, then the occupation poses risks to other alternative means of livelihood in Nigeria.