Livelihood diversification and the expansion of artisanal mining in rural Tanzania: drivers and policy implications

Kwai, B. and Hilson, G. (2010) Livelihood diversification and the expansion of artisanal mining in rural Tanzania: drivers and policy implications. Outlook on Agriculture, 39 (2). pp. 141-147. ISSN 0030-7270 doi: 10.5367/000000010791745358

Abstract/Summary

This paper provides an extended analysis of livelihood diversification in rural Tanzania, with special emphasis on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Over the past decade, this sector of industry, which is labour-intensive and comprises an array of rudimentary and semi-mechanized operations, has become an indispensable economic activity throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, providing employment to a host of redundant public sector workers, retrenched large-scale mine labourers and poor farmers. In many of the region’s rural areas, it is overtaking subsistence agriculture as the primary industry. Such a pattern appears to be unfolding within the Morogoro and Mbeya regions of southern Tanzania, where findings from recent research suggest that a growing number of smallholder farmers are turning to ASM for employment and financial support. It is imperative that national rural development programmes take this trend into account and provide support to these people.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/17493
Identification Number/DOI	10.5367/000000010791745358
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of International Development
Uncontrolled Keywords	artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM); non-farm; poverty; Tanzania
Publisher	IP Publishing Ltd
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