Twelfth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The world is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2.1 Zero Hunger target by 2030. This situation has been aggravated further by the impacts of Covid-19 on global food. The total number of hungry people is gradually increasing, with Africa considerably falling short of the 2030 Zero Hunger target. Almost every subregion of Africa has seen an increase in food insecurity. This has been ascribed to conflicts and violence, climate variability, and increased exposure to increasingly complicated, frequent, and intense climate extremes. The socio-ecological footprints of mining in relation to agriculture and other land use and cover types, as well as the complex socio-economic and asymmetric power relations between mining and smallholder farming actors in terms of access to critical resources (land, water, and labour), have enormous implications for food insecurity. Despite this, such implications have received little attention in the existing literature. This study critically examines the linkages between mining and smallholder farming, as well as the implications on all four dimensions of food security (availability, access, utilisation, and stability). The study makes extensive use of quantitative survey data, interviews, and focus group discussions. Based on the findings, I argue that mining is a significant contributor to food insecurity and, consequently, to the poor health and well-being of many individuals, particularly women. In other words, mining impairs the functioning of individuals, leading to decreased well-being. Additionally, mining exacerbates ingrained social differentiations based on age, occupation, and wealth.