Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) for Poverty Elimination in Africa

—A Case Study of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining in Tanzania—

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the government approaches to support Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) for poverty elimination. To discuss this issue, the article examines two hypotheses in a case of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Tanzania and identifies who could be an appropriate target to receive governmental support in the ASGM.

The first hypothesis is to examine the relation between ASM's production and household income. The analysis shows that household income of those who are producing gold ores is higher than that of those who have not yet produced them. At the same time, it shows that the former group has more access to capitals than the latter group. The analysis therefore implies that the latter group is having more difficulty of finding a way out of a poverty cycle partly due to lack of access to capital.

The second hypothesis is to examine whether the latter group is an appropriate target of governmental support. The analysis shows that in the two groups, the latter group shows higher degree of having trust in the government. In addition, the latter group shows more significant association between the degree of trust in the government and that of trust of diggers in a Primary Mining License holder and a pit holder, who are responsible for management of mining operation. This explains to some extent that the latter has not only more trust in the government but more potential for collective mining operation.

It is therefore appropriate to consider those who have not yet produced the ore as a target of governmental support for poverty elimination in the case of ASGM in Tanzania. The result implies that although ASM has been regarded by the international community as a category of governmental support for poverty reduction, further targeting of the support is needed in pursuit of poverty ‘elimination.’