An Assessment of the Environmental Management Practices and Associated Challenges for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Tanzania: A Case of Nyakafulu Gold Rush in Mbogwe District, Geita Region.

Kafu, Ernest (2025) An Assessment of the Environmental Management Practices and Associated Challenges for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in Tanzania: A Case of Nyakafulu Gold Rush in Mbogwe District, Geita Region. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study assessed environmental management and the associated challenges affecting environmental management in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining in Tanzania: a case of Nyakafulu gold rush in Mbogwe district, Geita region. Framed based on the Stakeholder Theory, the study intended to specifically: identify challenges affecting environmental management in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM); assess the level of environmental management compliance and practices in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) and to propose a framework for stakeholders’ engagement in environmental management in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect primary data from targeted 120 respondents. Data analysis for quantitative data involved descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study's findings revealed that the level of environmental management implementation by the ASM sub-sector is low at 26.8%. Moreover, it was found that low levels of environmental management practices are caused by lack of awareness (i.e. β= -0.144; p≤ 0.1), lack of specialists (i.e. β= -0.192; p≤ 0.1), lack of environmental management knowledge (i.e. β= -0.198; p≤ 0.1), and limited stakeholder pressure (i.e. β= -0.175; p≤ 0.1). The study thus concludes that the level of environmental management practice is low in the ASM sub-sector in Tanzania. Therefore, the study mainly recommends establishing an advocacy programme on the benefit of environmental management, particularly for artisanal and small-scale miners. Keywords: Challenges, Environmental Management, Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners

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