Examining the spatial incongruity between mining sector and beekeeping activities

Abstract

The seminal work of the Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on pollinators, pollination, and food production, informed scientific studies on the understudied impacts of mining on agriculture sub‐sectors. This paper assesses the potential impacts of mining activities on beekeeping as an agricultural sub‐sector, and the flow‐on effects on associated economic values and enterprises to enhance sustainable development. A case study is conducted in the emerging northwest gold mining region of Ghana. The Location Quotient (LQ) and Location Association (La) models are used to explore the economic significance of beekeeping, its spatial links with tree habitats, and mining activities. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to analyze the spatial interactions between concessions, trees, and beekeeping. The paper finds that districts with LQ < 1 in beekeeping also record LQ > 1 in mining, and La < 50 between beekeeping and mining. The findings are useful for stakeholder decision‐making toward harnessing and leveraging the prospects of mining on integrated rural and sustainable development.