IMPACT OF MINING ACTIVITIES ON FOOD PRODUCTION IN KWANDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

The study examines the impact of mining activities on food production in Kwande local government area. Specifically the study investigate how mining activities affect access to land for food production, extent in which mining activities affected food production, the coping and adaptation strategies adopted by farmers in the study area to help food production and explore effort made by Benue state Government. Literature were review base on the objectives of the study and resource curse theory was used as theoretical framework. The study adopts descriptive survey design to collect data for the study. Data was collected among 347 respondent using structural interview and Key Informant Interview (KII) method. The study found that majority 37% of farmland meant for crop production are taking over by mining activates. The study also found that mining activates causes soil degradation, erosion, destruction of vegetation and the pollution of the environment to an extent affecting food production, 55% of plots meant for farmland are lost to mining activities. The study also found that 55% farmers resolved in hiring of land from neighbors as a coping and adaptation strategies adopted by farmers in the study area to help food production. The study finally maintained that restriction of mining license to only registered company with restriction on rural areas for the promotion of security of country as the way of reducing the challenge of mining activities among rural farmers in Kwande LGA of Benue state. The study recommend the following; sensitization project should be embarked on by the State government to ensure that farmers become aware of the negative effects the mining activities poses to the agricultural sector. There should also be the training of enough extension officers to help in the efficient and effective implementation of coping strategies which would help curb the impacts of mining activities on food production. There should also be the rigorous enforcement of already existing laws and policies concerning the activities of illegal mining in the study area and government at all level should ban illegal mining.