Leaving Mining Behind in a Sustainable Liberia

May 21, 2017 | Roshny Vijayakar
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Mining operations degrade the environment through soil erosion, water contamination, air pollution, and often deforestation. These can lead to respiratory illnesses, heavy metal poisoning, sedimentation, and loss of arable land, while depleting valuable finite resources. As China in particular has expanded its industrial presence in Africa, Liberia has become dependent on foreign aid and infrastructure linked to mining concessions. This year, Liberians and the international community must pressure Liberia’s presidential candidates to prioritize sustainable agriculture over mining to boost their economy. Farming has the potential to achieve competitive, pro-poor growth given Liberia’s soil, climate, and existing vocational knowledge. Millions of dollars are spent on importing food annually while 41% of Liberian households cannot consistently afford adequate nutrition, even though most Liberians are farmers.