An assessment of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of sand mining activities in Lwera, Nkozi sub-county, Mpigi district, Uganda

Abstract

Sand mining has been one of the serious environmental problems around the globe in recent years, as the plains, swamps, rivers are widely exploited, materials like sand have been exploited due to man's attempt to satisfy his insatiable needs. The situation stated above is not an exception of Lwera the case study area. Exploitation of sand often results into land degradation, loss of aesthetic beauty of the land, loss of agricultural lands, river bed degradation and lost riparian habitat. In order to address these problems, practical and explicit laws and regulations have to be developed by municipalities in a participatory manner so as to facilitate enforcement and compliance at all levels within the social settings. This research was therefore carried out to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts resulting from sand mining activities in Lwera catchment. The main objective of the study was to assess the environmental and sociological impacts of sand mining in the study area. Specific objectives were: to identifying and assess some major environmental impacts associated with sand mining activities in Lwera.

The study revealed that irrespective of the large quantity of sand being mined from the catchment with its economic importance, it is concluded that socially and environmentally, sand mining activity is causing more harm than good.