IMPACT OF ARTISANAL GOLD MINING ON FARMING ACTIVITIES IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the impact of artisanal gold mining on farming activities in selected Local Government Areas of Niger State, specifically Bosso, Chanchaga, Shiroro, and Paikoro. The research was motivated by increasing concerns about mining encroachment on agricultural land, rising production costs, and farmland degradation, which threaten food security and rural livelihoods. Data were collected from 384 farmers registered with the Niger State Agricultural and Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) using structured questionnaires and interviews, with the sample size determined using the Salant and Dillman sampling frame. The study employed descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis guided by the Cobb–Douglas production framework to examine the relationship between artisanal mining activities, farmland availability, and cost of agricultural productivity. The findings reveal that artisanal gold mining significantly undermines farming activities in the study area. Land encroachment, tenure insecurity, and population pressure were strongly associated with declining farmland availability (OR = 3.15, p < 0.01). In addition, labour diversion, soil degradation, and rising input costs significantly increased the cost of agricultural production (OR = 12.80, p < 0.01). The study concludes that unregulated artisanal gold mining poses serious risks to sustainable agriculture, food security, and rural livelihoods in Niger State. The study recommends that policymakers, community leaders should enforce land use policies, designation of agricultural protection zones as well as youth empowerment and farmer miner conflict resolution initiatives.