Environmental And Socio Economic Impact Of Artisanal And Small Scale Placer Gold Mining At Dima Gambella Ethiopia

Gold mining plays a significant economic role in the vicinity of Akobo River, Gambella, South-Western Ethiopia; yet the rudimentary nature of artisanal and small scale gold mining activities often caused extensive degradation and shocking environmental as well as social-conditions. The aim of this study is to emphasize the methods of production existing in artisanal and small-scale placer gold mining of the study area and examine environmental and socioeconomic impacts generated by these activities. The study adopted a multi-method approach that involved assessed the variability of physicochemical parameters in water along the Akobo River; collected data using a semi structured questionnaire, group discussions and one-to-one interviews; inspected the rate, extent and distribution of various land use and cover changes(LULC) in Dima district from 2000 to 2020 on the basis of Landsat 7 ETM satellite images downloaded in raw format from the USGS website (https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/) and fieldwork. Facing a rapid expansion of artisanal and small-scale gold mining, governments, academia, green economy competitiveness, inter-institutional and multidisciplinary collaborations are urgently needed to overcome environmental and socio-economic challenges drawn from this sector in the study area.

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