Using Participatory Spatial Tools to Unravel Community Perceptions of Land-Use Dynamics in a Mine-Expanding Landscape in Ghana

Jane J Aggrey,Kwabena O Asubonteng,Mirjam A F Ros-Tonen

doi:10.1007/s00267-021-01494-7

Abstract

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in sub-Saharan Africa creates considerable dynamics in rural landscapes. Many studies addressed the adverse effects of mining, but few studies use participatory spatial tools to assess the effects on land use. Hence, this paper takes an actor perspective to analyze how communities in a mixed farming-mining area in Ghana’s Eastern Region perceive the spatial dynamics of ASM and its effects on land for farming and food production from past (1986) to present (2018) and toward the future (2035). Participatory maps show how participants visualize the transformation of food-crop areas into small- and large-scale mining, tree crops, and settlement in all the communities between 1986 and 2018 and foresee these trends to continue in the future (2035). Participants also observe how a mosaic landscape shifts toward a segregated landscape, with simultaneous fragmentation of their farming land due to ASM. Further segregation is expected in the future, with attribution to the expansion of settlements being an unexpected outcome. Although participants expect adverse effects on the future availability of food-crop land, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the anticipated effect on food availability. The paper argues that, if responsibly applied and used to reveal community perspectives and concerns about landscape dynamics, participatory mapping can help raise awareness of the need for collective action and contribute to more inclusive landscape governance. These findings contribute to debates on the operationalization of integrated and inclusive landscape approaches and governance, particularly in areas with pervasive impacts of ASM.

Highlights

IntroductionExtensive literature exists on both the expansion and effects of mining (e.g., Antwi et al 2017; Pijpers et al 2020) and the associated land-use dynamics (e.g., Basommi et al 2016; Awotwi et al 2018; Wu et al 2019)
We present the results of the participatory mapping for Abuakwa South Municipality and Fanteakwa South District, respectively, in the order of communities characterized by high farming-high mining, low farming-high mining, and high farming-low mining (Table 1)
The anticipated future shows previously mined lands along water bodies being mapped as food-crop lands again (Fig. 2c), with cocoa dominating in-land and a somewhat less segregated landscape than the present, as food crops and cocoa are mapped in an alternating pattern

Summary

Introduction

Extensive literature exists on both the expansion and effects of mining (e.g., Antwi et al 2017; Pijpers et al 2020) and the associated land-use dynamics (e.g., Basommi et al 2016; Awotwi et al 2018; Wu et al 2019) These land-use changes may create synergies across livelihood activities (Banchirigah and Hilson 2010; Okoh and Hilson 2011; Hilson et al 2013) and trade-offs (Cuba et al 2014; Nyame and Grant 2014; Ferring and Hausermann 2019). Monitoring and assessing rural landscape change are Environmental Management (2021) 68:720–737 essential for preventing such trade-offs and the governance of rural mining landscapes

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion