Stone quarrying, community livelihoods and environmental risks: a case study of Kyampisi Sub County, Mukono District

Abstract

Rock quarrying has emerged as an important livelihood activity sustaining livelihoods of people in Kyampisi Subcounty. It is also associated with various environmental and health concerns. However, very little has been documented to ascertain the extent of these impacts and how stone quarrying has contributed to people’s livelihoods in Kyampisi Subcounty. This study 1) examined the nature of rock quarrying in industrial and small scale establishments in Kyampisi; 2) examined the contribution of rock quarrying to people’s livelihoods in Kyampisi and 3) assessed the environmental and social hazards of rock quarries in Kyampisi. This study used a cross-sectional survey research design which accommodated both qualitative and quantitative approaches within the livelihood framework. The study also utilised both secondary and primary data. Primary data was obtained using questionnaires, interview guides, observations and photography. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-squares and Pearson correlations while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. Analysed data was displays in tables, pie charts, line and bar graphs. Results indicated that rock quarrying contributed greatly to people’s livelihoods. Majority of respondents obtained income from stone quarrying between 150,000 to 199,000 Ugandan shilling (28%). About 23% of the respondents obtained income between 250,000 to 300, 000/- Ugandan shillings, followed by the category of between 100,000 to 149,000/- (19%). Around 13% of the respondents obtained income between 60,000 to 99,000/-. Only 8% of the respondents obtained income above 300,000/- from stone quarrying. As regards utilisation of income obtained from stone quarrying, it was reveals that over 33% of the respondents bought motorcycles, other respondents bought plots of land (17%), constructed houses (14%) while others bought beds and mattresses (13%), radios (10%). Few respondents bought television (8%) and bicycles (5%). As regards livestock, over 42% of the respondents bought poultry from income obtained from stone quarrying, this was followed by 30% of the respondents who bought goats and sheep, 18% bought pigs and 10% bought cattle. It was noted that most of the respondents spent at a lot on the daily household needs (63%) like food, paraffin, sugar, salt, vegetables among others. Others used the income to pay school fees for their children (17%), followed by those who saved money in SACCOS (13%). The rest of the respondents used the income to pay bride price (3%) and marry (2%). Health hazards were experienced at both industrial and artisan quarry sites. At industrial quarry sites, over 78% of the quarry workers experience chronic fatigue at least thrice a month. The rest of the risks include excessive heat (47%), exposure to dangerous fumes (41%), burns (43%) and electronic shocks (44%) bites from reptiles and insects (35%), falls (29%). Over 91% of the respondents were exposed to the risk of injury due to falling objects and the frequency has reported to be daily as long as they are in the quarry. At the artisan quarries, over 97% of the respondents were exposed to the risk of injury due to falling objects and the frequency has reported to be daily as long as they are in the quarry. Up to 95% of the respondents were exposed to the risk of injuries to body extremities. Over 87% of the quarry operators experience chronic fatigue at least thrice a month. The rest of the risks include excessive heat (56%), bites from reptiles and insects (44%), falls (39%), exposure to dangerous fumes (31%), burns (13%) and electronic shocks (4%). These findings provided a benchmark to the district authorities on how to improve stone quarrying activities in the area so as to benefit the community without destroying the environment.