Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management Vol. 3(4), pp. 77-83, April 2012 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JSSEM DOI: 10.5897/JSSEM11.048 ISSN 2141-2391 ©2012 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of mining on farming in South Local Government Area of

Michael Adejare Adegboye

Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Kuru, Plateau State, . E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 28 March, 2012

Excavation involved in mining destroys useful soil for farming activities. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of mining on farming in Local Government Area of Plateau State. Random sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents from the area. The result reveals that 54.2% of the respondents identified low crop yield as the major consequence of mining on arable land in the area. Significant relationship existed at p < 0.05 between mining and the type of farming activities (χ2 = 51.950), mining and consequences of mining (χ2 = 94.583), mining and alternative work engaged in by the people (χ2 = 45.300). The result revealed that tin mining activities reduced farm land through soil erosion problems, swampy nature of neglected mined excavation, mine dump and pits on the arable land. Consequently, the farmers experienced low productivity in crop farming, land fragmentation, land disputes and conflicts in the area. It is therefore recommended that definite measures should be taken to bring mining affected land back to productive farm land. Also, a soil conservation strategy should be planned for future mining.

Key words: Tin mining, crop farming, arable land, mine dumps, mine ponds.

INTRODUCTION

Tin mining industry which is also the largest producer of an excavation of underlying sand has created mining pits, columbite on started in 1902. The mining of man-made lakes, pools and ponds which have great tin has been largely responsible for profound changes in effect on both the people and agricultural practices. the landscape and in the social economic structure of Mining ponds have always been death traps for people study area. Limited arable land experience in Jos plateau and animals (Davis, 2001). area, according to Patterson (1986) is due to the high The ponds are always sources of erosion especially in rate of surface mining. Scholar (1979) revealed that rainy season when most of the ponds over flow their mined soils are poorer in agricultural value compared to banks as the case of a paddock behind the Amalgamated adjoining natural land. Crops grown on such mined land Tin Mines of Nigeria LTD (ATMN) stadium . Fully are of low agricultural value, quick maturing and low- mechanized mining activities as well as formal mining are nutrient demanding, such as acha dauro, maize, millet still in operation around ‘rayfield’ area of the local and irish potato. Calvert (1990) revealed that the government. The early inhabitants of the present tin indiscriminate mining on the Jos plateau led to many mining areas of the study area were aware of the parts of the area being exposed to erosion and reduces existence of the mineral in their locality long time ago and the available arable land for crop production. The volume the mining started on a small scale, which later extended of mineral tripped off during mining reduces the nutrient to take over large area of arable land. As a result of the present in the soil. Jos South local government area is an drastic loss of farmlands to mining activities, attention of extensively mined area, which was dominated by use of most of the inhabitants has shifted to the mining rather heavy earth – moving equipment and draglines. As a than farming (Morrison, 1994). Therefore, the focus of result, the zone is characterized by deep excavations and this study is to determine the effect of the mining on dumping of high overburden, mine ponds, mine tailings farming in the area with the view of finding solutions to and slurry wash deposits (Olaniyan, 1998; Musa and any identified negative effect of the venture. Specifically, Jiya, 2011). According to Gyang and Ashano (2010), the the study tried to: major problem of the area still remains the devastated and de-vegetated land and mine spoils; depriving the i) Identify the personal characteristics of the respondents inhabitants of fertile farmland. The deep mining which is in the area, 78 J. Soil Sci. Environ. Manage.

ii) Find out the type of farming activities in the area, tin ore, cassiterite (SnO2), columbite and calcium iii) Examine the consequence of mining on farming in the carbonate (CaCo2). The area extent of devastated arable area, and, land by open – cast tin mining is estimated at 316 km2, iv) Determine the alternative work engaged in by the which comprises of mine spoils, pits, paddocks, site of people in the area. abandoned equipments mining scars, tailing, mine dumps and ponds, especially along the river valleys (Olaniyan, In pursuit of the objective of the study, the following 1998). Balogun (2007) pointed out that the Jos plateau hypotheses set in null form were tested: mining region covers an area of approximately 3,670 km2, about 43% of the total land area of Jos plateau. As a i) There is no significant relationship between the type of result of intensive mining activities, the area is badly farming activities and mining in the area. dissected by erosion gullies, mined ponds and dumps. ii) There is no significant relationship between The original woodland vegetation of the Jos region has consequence of mining and mining in the area. long been cleared for mining and agricultural activities, iii) There is no significant relationship between alternative turning the region into open savannah grassland with work engaged in by the people and mining in the area. widely spread eucalyptus and acacia trees, and cactus hedges which are used for land/boundary delineation. Closed-knit trees or dense foliages are mostly found in Description of the study area traditional or religious grounds and those areas that are not easily accessible, like the Kurra gorge. Open cast Jos south local government area is located between mining has led to the destruction of the landscape and latitudes 9° 30’ to 10° N and longitude 8° 30’ E. It is enhancement of soil erosion leading to drastic reduction situated at the north western part of the state with its of the general land area. headquarters at Bukuru, which is about 15 km from the state capital, Jos. The local government area has four METHODOLOGY districts: Du, Gyel, Kuru and Vwang districts. The local government area has total land area of about 1,037 km2 The target population for this research work was the mining with a population of 306,716 (NPC, 2006). It has a cool communities within Jos south local government area. Stratified random sampling technique was used in the study. Each of the four climatic condition due to its altitude. The coldest period is districts of the local government area was taken as a stratum from between November and February with an average mean which thirty (30) respondents were selected randomly. In all, a total daily temperature of 18°C, while it gets warm between of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents were used for the March and April before the onset of rain. The rainy study. Interview schedule was used to collect primary data. Trained season, which is between the months of May and enumerators who understood the local languages in the area were October, has its peak in August. The mean annual rainfall employed to ensure more accurate information. The statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) computer package was varies between 1347.5 and 1460 mm per annum. The used for data analysis and testing of hypotheses. Descriptive major inhabitants of the area are the Beroms. However, statistical tools such as frequency and percentage were used to as a result of the mining activities and other opportunities, analyze the facts sought from the questionnaire. Chi-square (χ2) there has been influx of people of the other ethnic was used to test the hypotheses. backgrounds such as the Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba among others. The mild climatic condition and the RESULTS accommodative nature of its people as well as tourists attraction have continued to attract investors. According Demographic characteristics of the respondents to Gwom (1992), the people of Jos south were predominantly farmers and hunters, but with the coming Table 1 show that 70.0% of the respondents were male of mining activities and the location of mining camps in while 30.0% were female. The highest percentage of the many areas within the local government, the early respondents (37.5%) was within age range of 41 to 50 occupation of the inhabitants has been over taken by and majority (85.0%) were married. This is not surprising these mining activities. as they were all adults. Surprisingly, 33.3% had tertiary Common food crops grown in the area include Irish education. The level of literacy in the area might be due potato, sweet-potato, maize, millet, Acha, tomato and to the fact that the local government is very close to the many other varieties of vegetables. Due to the ever green state capital and has the greatest number of higher vegetation and tse-tse-free nature of the area, cattle institutions after local government area. This is rearing and grazing has been quite profitable and poultry in line with the observation of Adegboye and Eniolorunda farming is a viable business in the area. The conducive (2006) that 50.0% of the youths in the area had post environment for cattle rearing has attracted investors secondary education. such as the Integrated Dairy farm, Vom (formerly WAMCO) which produces dairy products, as well as Farming information of respondents ECWA Rural Development Company Limited which also deals in poultry production and other veterinary services. Only 19.2% of the farmers had above 3 ha of land The major mineral resources found in the study area are available for their business (Table 2). Majority (76.7%) of Adegboye 79

Table 1. Distribution of respondents by demographic characteristics (n = 120).

Variable Frequency Percentage Sex Male 84 70.0 Female 36 30.0

Age Below 21 years 3 2.5 21-30 years 21 17.5 31-40 years 25 20.8 41-50 years 45 37.5 51 and above 26 21.7

Marital status Single 18 15.0 Married 102 85.0

Educational level attained No formal education 27 22.5 Primary education 27 22.5 Secondary education 26 21.7 Tertiary education 40 33.3

Source: Field survey (2008).

Table 2. Farming information (n = 120).

Variable Frequency Percentage Farm size (ha) 0.5-1 17 14.2 1.5-2 46 38.3 2.5-3 34 28.3 3.5 and above 23 19.2

Land tenure system Individual 92 76.7 Communal 12 10.0 Lease-hold 13 10.8 Government 3 2.5

Type of farming activities Rainfed 55 45.8 Irrigation 3 2.5 Both 62 51.7

Source of irrigation water Mine ponds/lakes 28 23.3 Stream 20 16.7 River 19 15.8 Mine ponds and streams 53 44.2

Soil nutrient supplement used Chemical fertilizer 18 15.0 Organic manure 5 4.2 Both fertilizer and organic manure 97 80.8

Source: Field survey (2008). 80 J. Soil Sci. Environ. Manage.

Table 3. Involvement in mining (n = 120).

Variable Frequency Percentage Existence of mining Yes 98 81.7 No 22 18.3

Length of period of mining (year) 0 23 19.2 1-20 9 7.5 21-40 34 28.3 41-60 30 25.0 60 and above 23 19.2 Not sure of the time 1 0.8

Involvement in mining Yes 66 55.0 No 54 45.0

Reason for involvement in mining My farmland has been taken by mining 33 27.5 I inherited mining from parents 14 11.7 It is my additional source of income 19 15.8 I am not involved 54 45.0

Source: Field survey (2008).

the respondents had their personal land. Many of the mining. This corroborated the observation of Jibiri et al. farmers were into both rain-fed and irrigation farming and (2007) and Jibiri and Agomuo (2007) that the traditional 44.2% used water from mine pond and streams for their farming system of the indigenes has become distorted irrigation purposes. Majority (80.8%) of the respondents today as a result of shortage of land so that the people used both chemical fertilizer and manure on their farm, especially in these mining communities, because of while 15.0 and 4.2% used chemical fertilizer and manure socio-economic pressure have to farm on the same piece respectively. of land yearly and with the poor quality of the land, produce yields have been reported very poor. Table 4 also reveals that the mining intensity was high in the Respondents’ involvement in mining area.

Majority (81.7%) of the respondents indicated that mining was carried out on their farmland (Table 3). The result Problems from mining on arable land reveals that 55.0% of the respondents were involved in mining activities; and 15.8% of the respondents identified Table 5 reveals that majority of the respondents (54.2%) sources of income as their reason for involvement in identified low productivity and low crop yield as the major mining, 27.5% were involved because their farmland has consequences of mining on arable land, followed by land been taken over by mining. This confirms the assertion of fragmentation (13.3%), unemployment (10.8%), land Morrison (1994) that mining has shifted attention of most dispute and conflicts (3.3%). The low productivity of the inhabitants from farming. observed here is in line with the report of Jibiri et al. (2007, 2011) that with the poor quality of land resulted from mining activities, produce yields have been reported Effect of mining on available farmland very poor.

According to Table 4, 81.7% of the respondents agreed that mining reduce the size of their farmland and 34.2% Possible ways of bringing the mining affected land had lost 1.5 to 2 ha of their land to mining. Bearing in back to productive farmland mind that majority of them were subsistent farmers, it means many of them had lost the whole of their land to The results in Table 6 reveals that 45.0% of the Adegboye 81

Table 4. Effect of mining on available farmland (n = 120).

Variable Frequency Percentage Reduction of farm size Yes 98 81.7 No 22 18.3

Size of the farmland affected 0 23 19.2 0.5-1 27 22.5 1.5-2 41 34.2 2.5-3 20 16.7 3.5 and above 9 7.5

Intensity of the mining High 79 57.5 Moderate 37 30.8 Low 14 11.7

Nature of the land reduction Encourages erosion 33 27.5 Swampy nature of neglected mine excavation 15 12.5 Industrial use of the land 5 4.2 Mining dump 44 36.7 Mining pound 23 19.2

Source: Field survey (2008).

Table 5. Problems from mining on arable land (n = 120).

Identified problem Frequency Percentage Low productivity and crop yield 65 54.2 Land disputes and conflicts 4 3.3 Land fragmentation 16 13.3 Unemployment 13 10.8 None 22 18.3 Total 120 100.0

Source: Field survey (2008).

Table 6. Possible ways of bringing the mining affected land back to productive farmland.

Possible ways Frequency* Percentage* Reclamation 33 27.5 Fish farming in the pond 44 36.7 Use of fertilizer 11 9.2 Tree planting 48 40.0 Refilling of mine ponds/lakes 54 45.0 Irrigation farming 35 29.2

*Multiple response. Source: Field survey (2008).

respondents identified refilling of ponds/lakes as one of Test of hypothesis the possible ways of bringing the affected land into productive farmland followed by tree planting (40.0%), Relationship between the type of farming activities and mining fish farming (36.7%), irrigation farming (29.2%), reclamation (27.5%) and use of fertilizer (9.2%). The results of chi-square test show significant relationship 82 J. Soil Sci. Environ. Manage.

Table 7. Relationship between the type of farming activities and mining.

Type farming activities Mining intensity Rainfed Irrigation Both χ2 cal χ2 tab High 18 1 27 Moderate 16 1 20 51.950* 5.991 Low 6 0 8 No response 15 1 7

*Significant at p<0.05. Source: Field survey (2008).

Table 8. Relationship between consequences of mining and mining in the area.

Consequence of mining Mining intensity LP LD/C LF U NE χ2 cal χ2 tab High 31 1 9 5 0 Moderate 24 1 7 5 0 94.583* 9.488 Low 10 2 0 2 0 No response 0 0 0 1 22

LP = Low productivity, LD/C = land dispute/conflicts, LF = land fragmentation, U = unemployment, NE = no effect. *Significant at p<0.05. Source: Field survey (2008).

Table 9. Relationship between mining alternative work engaged by the people and mining.

Alternative work Mining intensity Bs Lr PT Bd Ct PF L&P χ2 cal χ2 tab High 1 2 14 4 4 9 7 Moderate 3 2 7 3 2 7 7 45.300* 15.507 Low 2 1 2 1 0 3 3 No response 2 0 5 3 2 8 0

Bs = Business, Lr = labourer, PT = petty trading, Bd = building, Ct = carpentry, PF = poultry farming, L&P = livestock and poultry farming. *Significant at p<0.05. Source: Field survey (2008).

relationship between mining and the type of farming between mining and the alternative occupation of people activities in the area as indicated by a χ2-value of 51.950 in the area as indicated by a χ2-value of 45.300 (Table 9). (Table 7). This means that the mining affected the type of This means that the mining determined the alternative farming activities in the area. Thus, the null hypothesis is occupation of people in the area. Thus, the null rejected. hypothesis is rejected.

Relationship between consequences of mining and mining in the area CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Also, chi-square test show significant relationship The result obtained shows clearly that the study area between mining and the consequence of mining on the experienced varying degrees of farm land reduction by tin land as indicated by a χ2-value of 94.583 (Table 8). This mining activities ranging from soil erosion problems, means that the mining affected the type of farming swampy nature of neglected mined excavation, mine activities in the area. Thus, the null hypothesis is dump, pits and industrial use of the arable land. These in rejected. turn result in low productivity in crop farming, land

fragmentation, land disputes and conflicts, and Relationship between mining alternative work unemployment in the area. However, irrigation water was engaged by the people and mining derived from the mine ponds. Some of the ponds are so deep that they are recharged by ground water, thus Similarly, chi-square test show significant relationship making them permanent water bodies, with high Adegboye 83

potentials for irrigation, fisheries, water supply and Jibiri NN, Agomuo JC (2007). Trace elements and radioactivity recreation. Consequently, the ponds and dams created measurements in some terrestrial food crops in Jos-Plateau, Northcentral, Nigeria. Radio prot., 42: 29 – 42. by mining operations now provide water for irrigation Jibiri NN, Alausa SK, Owofolaju AE, Adeniran AA (2011). Terrestrial farming in the study area. The ponds are also very gamma dose rates and physical-chemical properties of farm soils valuable livestock watering points and sources of from ex- tin mining locations in Jos-Plateau, Nigeria. Afri. J. Environ. domestic water to many nearby settlements. In addition, Sci. Technol., 5(12): 1039-1049. Jibiri NN, Farai IP, Alausa SK (2007). Estimation of annual effective some dry mining pits provide ready-made and cheap dose due to natural radioactive elements in ingestions of foodstuffs in sites for refuse disposal. tin mining area of Jos-Plateau, Nigeria. J. Environ. Radioact., 94: 31- In view of the results discussed, it is therefore 40. recommended that definite measures be taken to bring Morrison JH (1994). Colonial Rule and Tin mining on the Plateau Jos. Nigeria Standard Publication, pp. 47-49. mining affected land back to productive farm land. Also, Musa HD, Jiya SN (2011). An Assessment of Mining Activities Impact series of conservation strategy should be employed in on Vegetation in Bukuru Jos Plateau State Nigeria Using Normalized future mining to prevent or at least reduce the adverse Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI). J. Sustainable Develop., 4(6): effect of mining on agricultural land use. 150-159. Olaniyan JA (1998). Project of overview and socio – economic impact of tin mining. Land Consultant. State Secretariat Cabinet Office Jos, 9- 6; 43-49. REFERENCES Patterson G (1986). Tin mining ponds of the Jos Plateau. Their nature and resources value. Jos Plateau Environmental Resource Adegboye MA, Eniolorunda PA (2006). Participation of youths in self- Development Programme. (JPERDP) Interim Report No. 8. p. 60. help efforts in Jos south local government area of Plateau state. Scholar WM (1979). Variability of mine soils and natural soils in South – Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Eastern Montana. Soil Sci. Society Am. J., 48 6): 106. Nigeria (ASN) held at National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. October 16-20, pp. 272-275. Balogun T (2007). The changing landscape of Jos, Nigeria, pp. 1-5. Calvert AF (1990). The Plateau and its tin fields. Nigeria Chamber of Mines-Jos, 52: 53-60. Davis JG (2001). The Berom, Tin in Nigeria. Nigeria Chamber of mines Jos, p. 25. Gwom SL (1992). The Berom Tribe of Plateau State Nigeria. Fist edition. Jos. Fab Anieh Nigeria Ltd., p. 15. Gyang JD, Ashano EC (2010). Effects of Mining on Water Quality and the Environment: A Case Study of Parts of the Jos Plateau, North Central Nigeria. The Pacific J. Sci. Technol., 11(1): 631-639.