Environment and Natural Resource Conservation and Management in Mozambique

Chapter 7. Small-Scale Cash Income Sources in Central Mozambique: The Root Cause of Resource Scarcity and Environmental Instability?

159 Chapter 7 Small-Scale Cash Income Sources in Central Mozambique: The Root Cause of Resource Scarcity and Environmental Instability? Introduction The larger part of central provinces of Mozambique, namely Manica and Sofala is endowed with diverse natural resources such as wildlife, forests, fisheries and minerals. Like in other rural areas in southern African region, these resources remain the major source of livelihood for the majority of the rural poor in the aforementioned provinces. Recent study by Shoko reveals that: More recently, small-scale mining and alluvial gold panning activities have taken centre stage as a result of both the economic structural adjustment programs (ESAPs) and recurrent droughts within the SADC region. It is estimated that up to two million people directly or indirectly benefit from small-scale and alluvial panning of minerals within the Zambezi Basin1 . In central Mozambique as in the Zambezi Basin of Zimbabwe, many rural people engage in gold panning as their source of livelihood. Others depend on traditional beer brewing, fishing, small-scale logging, charcoal production and selling, firewood sales, hunting, fruit sales, grain crop sales, livestock sales and casual labour, but all at small-scale. Such small-scale cash income sources though play a fundamental role in enhancing the socio-economic status of the rural population in many countries, some of them are detrimental 160 to the natural environment. In fact in many cases where activities such as artisanal gold mining, charcoal production, firewood selling, hunting and fishing are not controlled by the government through responsible ministries, they result in environment degradation, deforestation, siltation, pollution (water and land), reduction and sometimes extinction of some animal species and so on. Taking an example of the impact of gold panning on rivers, Shoko aptly observes that: Most of this mining activity takes place on riverbeds and banks and releases enormous amounts of silt and heavy metals into river systems, dams and lakes. Siltation of rivers reduces river conveyance and the storage capacity of reservoirs, which in turn makes several areas prone to flooding2 . In view of such studies and observations, this research sought to assess the potential impact of small-scale cash income sources of the people around a rural township, Dombe. Dombe is located in Sussundenga district in the Manica province of central Mozambique. The location was found suitable for this study owing to the diverse small-scale cash income sources available for the people living around this township, which include traditional beer brewing, artisanal gold mining, fishing, charcoal production and selling, firewood sales, hunting, fruit sales, grain crop sales, livestock sales, earth brick moulding and casual labour. From the findings of this study, it was established that most of the households rely heavily on hunting, gold panning, charcoal production and farming as important component of cash income or sources of livelihood, yet the government does virtually little to ensure that the people exploit the resources they depend on in a manner that is sustainable and 161 less threatening to the natural environment, the present and future generations. Theoretical Framework - Sustainable Livelihoods This study is situated in the theoretical framework of sustainable livelihoods. The sustainable livelihoods framework has over the years been applied in various case studies or situations attempting to establish a link between resource access by the rural populations, impact of access to resources by the rural people and environment policy.3 Technically, livelihoods entail the means, activities, entitlements, assets by which people do make a living through natural or biological means (i.e. Land, water, common property resources, flora, fauna), social (i.e. community, family, social methods, participation, empowerment) and human (i.e. knowledge, creation of skills) and are therefore paramount to the debate on sustainable development. For some scholars, ‘livelihoods’ consist of five capitals namely human capital (knowledge, skills, health and labour), natural/physical capital (soil fertility, forest resources, water resources, grazing resources and land), financial/produced capital (credit, savings, remittances, agricultural implements and infrastructure), social capital (leadership, rules, social organization, adherence to rules, mutuality of interest, kin and ethnic networks), and cultural capital (cultural practices, traditions and identity maintenance). As such, the concept of sustainable livelihoods is an integrating concept, incorporating social, economic, cultural and ecological dimensions.5 Consisting of resources and capacities, the sustenance of livelihoods could make a significant contribution in alleviating or eradicating poverty whilst protecting environmental resources6 for now and for the 162 future generations. For Campbell and Luckert, “a livelihood is sustainable when...