Beyond the Resource Curse: Charting A Path to Sustainable Livelihoods for Mineral-Dependent Communities

How can informal, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) benefit poor local communities without degrading the environment? This action-research project examines micro-level mineral-based livelihoods to place them in context of agrarian transition. It investigates production and labour processes, commodity-supply chains, and gendered labour. Epistemologically, it uses an innovative means to build capacity for the miners and to enhance environmental sustainability. Outcomes include potential shift in scholarly thinking on informal mining, as well as practical knowledge of precarious livelihoods, reduction of harmful environmental practices through community-based initiatives, and empowerment of women in the 'feminised' labour processes.