Illegal mining threatens farming

Luena farm block, in Kawambwa district, Luapula Province in the north of Zambia, is facing a severe threat from both legal and illegal miners who masquerade as mineral prospectors in the area. These mining activities are causing extensive damage to agricultural land.

In addition to illegal mining, records from the ministry show that eight companies hold mining licenses in theblock. Seven of these are large exploration licences, and one is a small-scalemining licence. These licences were issued by the ministry of mines between 2019 and 2022.

Luapula Province is rich in manganese ore deposits along with various other minerals such as copper, iron, lime, gemstones, and gold.

Official statistics indicate that by the end of March 2017, the province had a total of 54 valid mining licences and 125 exploration licences, with applications increasing daily.

Currently, manganese mining dominates in the province, albeit at a small scale due to limited capital for mining operations.

The 1995 Land Act enabled the government to set aside land for the farm block development programme (FBDP). The dual goals of the FBDP are to facilitate agricultural land development and encourage private sector investment.

In Luapula, Luena farm block in Kawambwa was designated for this purpose, covering about 100,000 hectares of farm plots within a larger area of 186,235 hectares, incorporating settlements, wetlands, and buffer zones.

The Chaos in Kawambwa

In Kawambwa, one of the eight districts in Luapula, the frantic rush by illegal miners in search of minerals is devastating agriculture, which is the lifeline for the local population.

Abraham Kasongo, a farmer from Luena agricultural camp, expressed his concerns about the impact of mining on the farming community.

“Mining in the farm block will not bring prosperity in the long run. It will destroy the land that should be used for farming,” he said.

“We are looking forward to development in the farm block. We want roads, electricity, and infrastructure that will help us feed the nation. Mining will only ruin the land,” Mr. Kasongo added.

He also pointed out that the mining activities in the farm block do not benefit the local population, as they are mostly carried out by individuals from other areas, such as townspeople and politicians.

Another farmer from the Luena agricultural camp, Justin Mwewa, echoed these sentiments, saying that mining should be stopped because it destroys the top soil necessary for farming, leaving behind craters that cannot be used for agriculture.

“In my view, farming is what will help us. We have good rainfall and fertile soil, so farming is what will develop this place. As you can see, ZAFFICO (Zambia forestry and forest industries corporation), Kawambwa tea, Green 2000, and even Kawambwa sugar are in the farm block. Mining here will not be beneficial to us,” Mr. Mwewa explained.

Warning from the Ministry of Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture has issued a warning that if this continues unchecked, mining activities in Luena farm block could lead to the extinction of agriculture in the area. Steven Musonda, the district agricultural coordinator for Kawambwa district has sounded the alarm.

He explained that farmers in the block are facing significant challenges. The roads, originally used for transporting maize, have been damaged by heavy trucks. Even the alternative routes created by farmers are affected.

“During the rainy season, it becomes exceedingly difficult for smaller vehicles to navigate through the area,” he said.

The situation is worsened by the lack of consensus among local leaders, including chiefs and government officials, to effectively halt illegal mining. As a result, little progress has been made towards resolving this issue.

With Zambia currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent years, Kawambwa could become crucial for agriculture, benefiting from relatively favourable rainfall due to its proximity to the Congo Basin.

“As Kawambwa we are receiving good rainfall, meaning that we have a duty to produce more food to feed people from areas where it is not raining. Now if the same land that is supposed to be used for cultivation is disturbed it means that all efforts are in vain,” Mr. Musonda explained.

It remains unclear how the ministry of mines and minerals development has been assigning coordinates for mineral exploration in an area designated for farming.

The ministry has yet to respond to press inquiries regarding this issue.

While the ministry of agriculture allocates land in the farm block to various investors for commercial farming purposes, conflict has arisen as some companies have also been granted land in the same area for mining activities, thus pitting agriculture against mining interests.

“To make matters worse, many of these mining operations are operating illegally, with some companies granted only prospecting licences but engaging in full-scale mining activities. This not only constitutes illegal operations but also leads to significant land degradation. Mining activities often occupy large areas, rendering them unusable for agriculture without extensive rehabilitation,” explained Obed Chanda, senior land husbandry officer at the ministry of agriculture in Luapula.

Kawambwa district commissioner Godfrey Chilambwe has urged an immediate halt to illegal mining in the farm block and emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order.

Mr. Chilambwe emphasised that the government is committed to developing the farm block and stressed the importance of stopping illegal mining activities in the area.

Disregard for Government Regulations

According to government mining regulations, an exploration licence only permits the extraction of no more than 5kg of minerals for exploration purposes and laboratory analysis. However, it was discovered that exploration licence holders were engaged in actual mining, as evidenced by the observed huge trenches and pits, leading to massive environmental and land degradation in the area. This is further evidenced by the numerous trucks loaded with manganese, frequently observed moving from the mining sites within the farm block.

Data from a ministry of mines show that several companies hold exploration licences within the farm block, sparking concerns about the potential impact on the land. These companies include Happy Hillz Minerals Ltd, Yobe Gems Ltd, Ras Indo Mining Ltd, Pinak Resources Ltd, Glowmax Mining Ltd, Sreshta International Ltd, and Prango Investment Ltd, all operating under large exploration licences. Additionally, Stone Edge Mining Ltd holds a small-scale mining licence in the area.

During a recent site visit by this journalist, several issues were noted. Illegal mining was observed despite the holders only having exploration licences, with no trenching or exploration works visible.

Approximately 20 hectares of land has been degraded, making it unsuitable for agriculture. Workers are paid K100 – K150 per tonne for sorting manganese ore. The presence of huge trenches and unstable slopes poses landslide risks.

According to interviews with experts, most of the mining operations do not adhere to the Zambia environmental management agency (Zema) regulations and use improper methods for manganese extraction.

Poor pit geometry, the absence of proper benches and designated dumping sites, and the lack of sanitary facilities were observed.

There has been no response from Zema regarding their role in safeguarding the environment and ensuring that miners adhere to safe mining practices.