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Stakeholders Validate Key Findings to Advance Sustainable Mining Solutions in Ghana
The BIOTRAILS Ghana Gold Case Study recently hosted its 2nd Stakeholders’ Workshop on March 3rd and 4th, 2025. The workshop brought together key stakeholders in the mining sector, including government agencies, academia, civil society and local communities. Held at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, KNUST, in Kumasi, Ghana, the 2nd Stakeholders’ Workshop had a twofold objective. First, the workshop described BIOTRAILS results and validated them with the participating stakeholders. Secondly, the workshop marked the final step towards co-designing biodiversity-relevant interventions for Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) sector.
Since its inception, the BIOTRAILS Ghana Gold Case Study has sought to propose solutions and inform policies that address the environmental and social challenges in the ASM sector. The project uses stakeholder engagement activities to collect data and employs several analytical tools, framework and models to identify relevant interventions for sustainable ASM. For instance, the first stakeholders’ workshop focused on data collection through participatory exercises. Following this, Participatory System Dynamics Modelling (PSDM), Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), and the identification and analysis of leverage points, among others, were employed to analyse and develop relevant models. These models and results were validated during the 2nd Stakeholders’ workshop.
During the Stock-and-Flow Diagram (SFD; part of the PSDM) validation exercise, stakeholders confirmed that, without intervention, mining-related deforestation, water pollution, soil and landscape degradation, and community health and well-being degradation would intensify exponentially. This highlighted the urgent need for restoration efforts and strict enforcement of relevant laws and regulations. The PLS-SEM validation exercise highlighted the need to refine variable weightings, redefine subjective norms, and incorporate additional influential factors, such as corruption, economic hardship, and food security, into the model to ensure that it accurately reflects the reality on the ground. Finally, the Participatory exercise on the Feasibility of Leverage Points revealed weaknesses in policy enforcement and institutional coordination. In response, stakeholders recommended decentralised decision-making, increased regulatory funding, and provision of incentives for miners who adopt sustainable practices.
Moving forward, the insights gathered from the workshop will play a crucial role in shaping actionable solutions for sustainable mining practices and policy recommendations. The project will continue engaging stakeholders in refining these solutions, ensuring frequent interactions in the lead-up to the 3rd stakeholders’ workshop, where final biodiversity-relevant interventions and proposals will be developed for the ASM sector in Ghana. This collaborative approach ensures that the same stakeholders who contributed data remain actively involved in shaping the solutions that will drive meaningful transformation within Ghana’s ASM sector.