Description
Impact: Mining activities may bring about technology which promotes rural-urban connections, employment opportunities for the host community and improvements in education facilities, among others. The aim of the study was to assess the socio-economic impacts of mining on people’s livelihoods in communities surrounding the Kansanshi mine and the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in mitigating the effects. The objectives were to establish how mining activities impact (socially and economically) on people’s livelihoods, to examine the (CSR) strategies used by the mining firm to improve local people’s welfare and to establish the extent to which CSR strategies are contributing towards the improvement of people’s livelihoods. The results of the study revealed that the Kansanshi mine, through its CSR initiatives, has built and renovated some schools, clinics, the main district hospital and some township roads. Despite this, health and educational facilities were far apart resulting in pregnant women and school going children walking long distances to access these services. Some roads were in very bad condition rendering them impassable during the rainy season. As a result of this, the communities surrounding the mine felt neglected by both the mine and the government. As a result of this, there is need for a law which can distinctively stipulate the roles of the government and those of the investor in community project implementations. Additionally, governments need not abandon social provisioning to mining companies but, rather, pursue a programme of being partners with mining companies. This can be done by involving mining companies and host communities so as to establish responsibilities, costs and benefits and also to sign tripartite (the investor, the government and the host community) community development agreements.
