Effect of mining activity on the Environment
Mining is one of the essential activities for providing resources to help economies grow and
improve standards of living of a country. This process is intense and invasive and operation of
mining can leave large environmental impacts. This can cause different issues. Some of this
biggest environmental issues and impacts caused by mining are:
Pollution on water during Mining
Many stages in mining and mineral processing require the use of water which leaves water
footprints. Although some stages in the process can reuse and recycle the water, other stages
dust will lead to pollution of the water, which will prevent the water from being recycled.
On the other hand, highwater usage in mining can lead to reduced access for local people to
uncontaminated freshwater supplies and can result in a local area suffering from water stress.
Although this is one of the impacts mining has relatively small water usage compared to other
industries.
Mining Pollution
Often mining can cause pollution through leakages of mining tailings, which are the materials
left behind after economically valuable fraction of materials has been extracted. This leftovers
are often radioactive, toxic, or acidic. Sedimentation and siltation can happen which is when
Earth moving activities and erosion from mine sites increase the amount of sediments in nearby
waterways. Therefore, proper modern mining processes can be taken to remove these harmful
but sometimes valuable leftovers.
Impact on the Land
Another important environmental issue by mining to address is the land use change that occur
not only from drilling and excavating open pit mines but also the changes that occur as result of
the development of surrounding infrastructures.
The removal of vegetation and the disturbance of soil structure can make the land susceptible
to erosion by wind and water. Moreover, in underground mining, the removal of material from
beneath the surface can cause the land above to collapse
The impact of mining to the surrounding land can be to the ecological setting of the mining site.
Deforestation of forest for the mining of iron ore in the tropical rainforest of Gabon can be an
example.
Factor for the Low level of Fish consumption in Ethiopia
Ethiopia has enormous water resource which supports many species of fish but consumption
remains to be limited especially house hold consumption.
1. Cultural and Religious Preferences
The most deeply rooted barrier is socio-cultural. Ethiopian national identity and
culinary tradition are intrinsically linked to the highland agrarian economy. The
dominant food system revolves around injera paired with wat (stew), primarily
derived from terrestrial animals (beef, chicken, lamb) and legumes.
Perception of Fish: In many inland communities, particularly in the
highlands, fish is not considered "real" food. It is often viewed as an inferior
protein source or even as "unclean," sometimes pejoratively associated with
"water snakes." This perception severely limits demand.
Religious Practices: While the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, whose followers
observe numerous fasting days, permits fish consumption, the ingrained
culinary habit during these periods is to consume plant-based pulses (like
lentils and chickpeas). Even a potential entry point for fish is overshadowed
by established meat-free traditions.
2. Economic and Supply Chain problems
Fish is often more expensive than meat in local markets, especially in urban
centers far from water bodies. This is due to high costs related to:
Poor road networks from fishing communities to major cities.
Extremely high losses due to a lack of cold chain infrastructure to cool
the fish and modern preservation facilities.
Ethiopia has a critical shortage of refrigeration facilities from landing
sites to markets.
Underdeveloped Marketing and Distribution Systems: The fish supply
chain is fragmented and informal.
3. Limited awareness
· Limited Awareness of Nutritional Benefits: There is generally low awareness
of the significant health benefits of fish, particularly as an excellent source of
protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential micronutrients.
4. Localized consumption
Large portion of the fish is consumed locally in the areas around the lake
from with it was caught the surplus that is available for trade is limited
Could Agriculture based economy bring drastic change to
Ethiopia ?
Many studies, like those from the World Bank, show that farming is the heart
of Ethiopia. Because it employs so many people, growth here directly helps
the poorest. Research shows that growth from farming is twice as good at
reducing poverty as growth from other areas. This means putting money into
farming is a direct way to fight poverty.
Other research, including work from the Ethiopian Economics Association,
points to "linkages." This means that when farming grows, it helps other
businesses. For example, farmers need tools and fertilizer, which helps local
factories. This is called a "backward linkage." Then, after harvest, crops need
to be moved, processed, and sold. This creates jobs in transport, food
processing, and markets. These are "forward linkages." A study on the flower
industry showed how a new farm can create many new jobs in these linked
areas.
Ethiopia's geography offers many gifts for farming. The vast highlands have
good soil and enough rain to grow crops like teff, the grain used to make
injera. Furthermore, the different climates across the country allow for many
types of crops. This variety means Ethiopia does not have to rely on just one
crop. Lowland can grow valuable exports like coffee and sesame.
However, the same geography creates huge problems. Ethiopia is often
called the "water tower of Africa," but its water is not in the right place at the
right time. As The Ethiopian Agriculture points out, most farmers depend on
the rainy season. When the rains are late or fail, crops die. This makes the
economy unstable and tied to the weather. The solution is to work with the
geography, not against it. This means building small-scale irrigation projects
to save water for dry times, planting trees to protect the soil on slopes, and
building better roads to connect farmers to towns.
In conclusion, looking at past research, agriculture does have the power to
bring a drastic change to Ethiopia's economy. It is the best way to help the
most people out of poverty and can create jobs in many linked industries.
However, this will not happen by itself. The big challenges of rain reliance,
small farms, and poor roads must be tackled. If Ethiopia can support its
farmers with the right tools and build a stronger system around them, then
an agriculture-led economy can truly be the engine that changes the
country.
Cropping Seasons in Ethiopia Connect to the Prevailing
Winds
Ethiopia is a country in East Africa that has a unique farming schedule. This
schedule is directly linked to the country’s winds and rains. The main
cropping seasons in Ethiopia are the Kiremt and the Belg. These seasons are
controlled by the movement of major wind systems.
The Wind Systems
Two main wind patterns affect Ethiopia's climate. These are the moist
southwesterly winds and the dry northeasterly winds. Their movement
changes throughout the year.
The moist southwesterly winds come from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
They bring a lot of moisture. The dry northeasterly winds come from the
Arabian Peninsula. They bring dry and dusty air.
The Main Cropping Season: Kiremt
The main cropping season is called Kiremt. It lasts from June to September.
During this time, the southwesterly winds are strong. They blow across
Ethiopia and bring heavy and long-lasting rain. This rain is essential for the
country's most important crops. Farmers plant cereals like teff, maize, and
sorghum. These crops need a lot of water to grow. The success of the Kiremt
rains directly affects Ethiopia's food supply for the year.
The Shorter Cropping Season: Belg
The shorter cropping season is called Belg. It happens from February to May.
The Belg rains are lighter and less reliable. They happen when the
southwesterly winds begin to move northward. This movement creates some
rain, especially in the central and eastern parts of the country. Farmers use
this season to plant crops like barley, wheat, and pulses. For some
areas, the Belg harvest is a very important source of food.
The Dry Season
From October to January, the dry northeasterly winds take control. These
winds bring the dry season. There is very little rain during this time. This is a
period for harvesting crops planted during the Kiremt season. It is also a time
when the land rests before the next planting cycle.
The cropping seasons of Ethiopia are a direct result of the prevailing winds.
The southwesterly winds bring the vital Kiremt rains for the main growing
season. Their movement also influences the shorter Belg season. The
northeasterly winds bring the dry season. Understanding this connection
between wind and farming is very important for planning agriculture and
ensuring food security in Ethiopia.
Agroforestry
Agroforestry is a land management approach that integrates trees and
shrubs into crop and animal farming systems. It's about creating a
natural ecosystems to create beneficial ecological interactions.
Trees are not left by accident they are deliberately planted and
managed as part of the farm. There is a planned combination of
agricultural/horticultural crops with trees and/or livestock on the same
piece of land.
Agroforestry improves soil health, increases biodiversity, sequesters
carbon, improves water quality, and prevents erosion. It also provides
diverse income and can improve long-term crop yield.
Agro-industry
Agro-industry is an economic sector that encompasses all the industrial
processes involved in the production, transformation, preservation,
and distribution of agricultural products. It's about adding value to raw
agricultural materials and getting them to the consumer.
It transforms raw materials from the farm into finished products for the
end-consumer, while also supplying everything the farmer needs to
produce those raw materials. It's the industrialization and
commercialization of agriculture.
Common example are :
Food Processing: Canning vegetables, milling rice, refining sugar,
brewing beer, meat packing.
· Textile Industry: Ginning cotton, spinning yarn, weaving fabric.
· Biofuel Production: Converting corn or sugarcane into ethanol.
· Timber Industry: Sawmills, paper mills, furniture manufacturing.
Sources
1. Conway, D., & Mould, C. (2004). Ethiopia's Climate: A Study of Its
Variability and the Influence of the Gulf of Guinea and South
Atlantic Oceans. The Geographical Journal.
2. Segele, Z. T., & Lamb, P. J. (2005). Characterization and
Variability of Kiremt Season Rainfall over Ethiopia. International
Journal of Climatology.
3. Tesfaye, K., et al. (2011). Cropping Systems and Climate
Variability in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. International
Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).
4. World Bank. "Agriculture for Development." (2008)
5. Ethiopian Economics Association. "Annual Report on the Ethiopian
Economy." (Various Years)
6. University of Hawassa. "Climate Risk and Ethiopian Agriculture."
(2015)
7. Ethiopian Development Research Institute. "Land Size and
Productivity in Ethiopia." (2012)
8. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). "Post-Harvest Losses in
Ethiopia." (2019)
9. [Link]