Ghana's illegal mining crisis is no longer only about polluted rivers and destroyed forests. Agricultural advocates say the activities of galamsey operators are now threatening the
The report indicates that ghana’s illegal mining crisis is no longer only about polluted rivers and destroyed forests. Agricultural advocates say the activities of galamsey operators are now threatening the country’s food supply chain by reducing farmland, cutting production, and pushing up the prices consumers pay at markets.
It further notes that the Chief Executive Officer of The Ghanaian Farmer, Enyonam Manye, says the destruction of fertile agricultural lands is creating a supply challenge that is gradually translating into higher food prices for households.
“When people hear the word galamsey, they immediately think about polluted rivers, destroyed forests and illegal mining. While those who are serious or those who are concerned, there’s another consequence that affects every Ghanaian every single day, is the rising cost of food,” she said.
According to her, farms that once produced essential crops including vegetables, maize, cassava, plantain, and cocoa are being lost to illegal mining activities, reducing the amount of food available for the local market.
“Across many parts of Ghana, productive farms that are used to grow cocoa, vegetables, maize, cassava, plantain have been excavated by illegal miners,” Enyonam Manye stated.
She explained that the reduction in farmland means farmers are unable to maintain previous levels of production, creating shortages that eventually affect prices.
“Every acre of farmland lost means food entering our markets. When supplies fall down, that means that the demand of food will become high and it will have shot the price because more lands have been destroyed,” she added.
The agricultural advocate stated many farmers are also losing access to land because some landowners are choosing financial gains from illegal mining over farming activities.
“When your family gets big money and they decide to let go of their land to Galamsey people… whatever you use to farm on, if it’s a five acre or 10 acre, you will be left with either half or quarter of that,” she said.
For consumers, she noted that the impact is eventually felt at markets where traders factor in additional costs before setting prices.
“The market will be forced to charge for transportation and charge for many other things. So at the end of the day, we the consumers end up paying higher because of the distraction that is being caused to our farmlands,” she explained.
JoyNews Data and Research Analyst, Maxwell Aklorbortu, stated the relationship between illegal mining and rising food prices can be explained through the basic economics of supply and demand.
He noted that contamination of farmland and water sources forces farmers to reduce production, abandon farms, or spend more resources to continue farming elsewhere.
“Once the farmland and irrigation water becomes contaminated, farmers either harvest less, abandon their farms altogether, or incur additional costs just to move production elsewhere,” Maxwell said.
