Abstract

Excavation involved in mining destroys useful soil for farming activities. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the effect of mining on farming in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Random sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents from the area. The result reveals that 54.2% of the respondents identified low crop yield as the major consequence of mining on arable land in the area. Significant relationship existed at p < 0.05 between mining and the type of farming activities (χ² = 51.950), mining and consequences of mining (χ² = 94.583), mining and alternative work engaged in by the people (χ² = 45.300). The result revealed that tin mining activities reduced farm land through soil erosion problems, swampy nature of neglected mined excavation, mine dump and pits on the arable land. Consequently, the farmers experienced low productivity in crop farming, land fragmentation, land disputes and conflicts in the area. It is therefore recommended that definite measures should be taken to bring mining affected land back to productive farm land. Also, a soil conservation strategy should be planned for future mining.

Keywords: Tin mining, crop farming, arable land, mine dumps, mine ponds.