THE ANATOMY OF ARTISANAL GOLD MINING IN WESTERN KENYA

Andrew Shitanda Nyongesa

Abstract


This study examined the anatomy of artisanal gold mining in western Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were; to evaluate the effect of artisanal gold mining on land, water and air pollution in western Kenya, to evaluate the effect of artisanal gold mining on education in western Kenya, to evaluate the effect of artisanal gold mining on economic development in western Kenya, to evaluate the effect of artisanal gold mining on health and safety issues in Western Kenya and; to evaluate the effect of government regulation on artisanal gold mining in Western Kenya. The study was conducted in the western Kenya counties where artisanal gold mining is practiced. The target population consisted of 300 participants of artisanal gold mining. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The collected data were subjected to inferential statistics using SPSS v. 26. Regression analysis was used. Linear regression analysis was conducted to establish the relationship between the study variables. The study results indicated that artisanal gold mining increases land, water and air pollution in Western Kenya. Further, the results indicated that artisanal gold mining increases economic growth in western Kenya, hence empowering the local community. On the other hand, the study results indicated that artisanal gold mining increases school dropouts in western Kenya, thereby affecting the area's educational prowess. Moreover, the results indicated that artisanal gold mining reduces the ability of gold miners and the community to take health and safety precautions in western Kenya, leading to high accident rates during mining. Finally, the results showed that government regulation helps regulate artisanal gold mining, thereby reducing pollution, school dropouts, and improving health and safety.

 

JEL: G30, M42, H83, D73

 

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Keywords


artisanal gold mining, land, water and air pollution, education, economic development, healthy safety and government regulation

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejefr.v10i1.2112

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