Impact of Stone Quarrying on Sustainable Livelihoods and Environment in Selected Communities in Ghana: implications for the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Stone is a useful natural resource, but its extraction has sustainability implications for the environment and livelihoods. This study examined the impacts of stone quarrying activities on sustainable livelihoods and the environment, and the implications of the impacts for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in selected host communities in Ghana. The study was underpinned by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and the principle of environmental sustainability as a pillar of sustainable development (SD). One hundred and ninety-two participants were involved in interviews and focus group discussions, which were analyzed thematically. It was found that the activities provided prospects for sustainable livelihoods, but the impacts on livelihoods were mixed. For instance, whereas the activities provided opportunities for jobs, income, and other socio-economic benefits, they created disputes and health challenges. The environmental impacts included vibrations, noise, cracks in buildings, dust-polluted air and water bodies, land degradation, migration of wildlife, as well as stunted growth of crops and other plants around the quarry sites. The livelihood and environmental impacts had mixed (positive and negative) implications for most of the SDGs. Based on the mixed impacts and implications dynamics, the stakeholders, led by the government and its relevant agencies, are encouraged to chart quarrying pathways that are more environmentally friendly and socio-economically equitable. Such sustainable pathways should be guided by regulatory, educational, technological, and monitoring policy considerations that would minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive ones to promote the achievement of the SDGs for improved livelihoods and sustainable development.