Mining, Resource Conflict and Food Security in Nigeria: A Diagnostic Analysis of Coal Mining in Ankpa Communities, Kogi State.

Abstract

Concerns over the paradox of natural resources leading to frustration, expressed in underdevelopment, poverty, and sometimes conflict, rather than wealth and development, have occupied a central place among scholars, thinkers, and policymakers over the years across the globe. Thus, this study seeks to examine the link between mining, resource conflict and food security in Nigeria.  The study adopts the survey research design by collecting primary data through the administration of questionnaires. It adopts simple and descriptive statistics to analyze the primary data while content analysis was employed for the secondary data. The study revealed that mining and conflict are inseparable, for wherever there is resources, there must be agitations and then conflict. Further findings from the research also show a strong connection between mining, conflict, and food security. Hence, it concludes that mining leads to loss of arable farmland, contamination of the water, soil and environmental degradation and that all these are direct threat to food production and security. It therefore, recommends, effective resource governance that will strategically manage and coordinate the mining sector for compliance with environmental standards, diversify the economy and incentivize the agricultural sector.