LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION CHALLENGES AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AMONG YOUTH DIGGERS IN ARTISANAL DIAMOND MINING COMMUNITIES OF KONO DISTRICT, SIERRA LEONE

Emmanuel Conteh, Kalie Marah

Abstract


Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) offers significant employment opportunities for young people in resource-dependent economies, but its role in sustainable economic resilience is not clear. This study examines the impact of livelihood diversification challenges on the economic resilience of youth diggers in Sierra Leone's artisanal diamond mining communities in Kono District, using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and the Capability Approach. It also explores the potential mediating role of access to finance, skills and training, institutional support and livelihood diversification. A structured survey of 250 youth diggers (18-35 years) was used to collect data, which were analysed using multiple regression and bootstrapped mediation with 5,000 resamples. The measures were highly reliable and valid, with Cronbach's alpha ranging from .82 to .90, AVE values ranging from .64 to .77, and limited common method bias (Harman's single-factor variance = 32.6%). Economic resilience was significantly lower with livelihood diversification challenges (β = −.41, p < .001), while access to finance, skills and training, and institutional support were all significantly positive (β = .21–.25, p < .001). Participation in alternative livelihood activities, however, did not significantly predict resilience, nor did it mediate the relationships tested. The results suggest that resilience is more about having meaningful access to financial, human and institutional resources than diversification and thus priorities for youth livelihood policies in ASM communities.

 

JEL: D2, D6, Q2, O15, Q5


Keywords


artisanal and small-scale mining; youth livelihoods; livelihood diversification; economic resilience; Sustainable Livelihoods Framework; Sierra Leone

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejefr.v10i6.2310

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