‘Mining Farmers’ or ‘Farming Miners’: The Dynamics of Livelihood Diversification in Rural Agricultural Communities of Insiza District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Land ownership remains critical in the Global South, where smallholder farming is prudent for sustaining household food production and income. In the recent past, mining activities have increasingly substituted farming activities, rendering lands unusable. The proliferation of small-scale mining activities has led many households to abandon their agriculture. This raises concerns regarding rural food security and poverty reduction. This study investigated the drivers of diversification into small-scale mining and its implications for household agricultural activities in selected wards of the Insiza District in Zimbabwe. Drawing on rich qualitative data gathered through a combination of focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informants, our findings show that participants have varying views on the implications of small-scale mining on smallholder agriculture. Some participants prefer small-scale, as it offers them guaranteed income compared to smallholder agriculture. However, some participants suggested that small-scale mining disrupted their traditional livelihoods, leading to land degradation, pollution, and displacement. There is an urgent need for the government and other stakeholders to prioritize training in sound environmental and mining practices so that both small-scale mining and smallholder agriculture can co-exist in this drought-prone region.