Assessing the Anthropogenic Impacts on Natural Resource Utilisation and Socioeconomic Development along the Orugu River, Sierra Leone
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Although their inappropriate exploitation frequently results in environmental degradation that threatens long-term livelihoods, natural resources continue to be essential to socioeconomic growth. In this study, four riparian communities, Jui, Lower Allen Town (Mayemie), Upper Allen Town, and Calaba Town, were evaluated for the socioeconomic and environmental effects of the patterns of natural resource utilisation along the Orugu River in Sierra Leone. Eighty randomly chosen respondents (33.8% fishermen, 30.7% sand miners, 26.3% traders, and 7.5% farmers) were given semi-structured questionnaires as part of the study's mixed-methods design. Personal interviews, field observations, and secondary data from peer-reviewed literature, workshop reports, and census data were also included. While qualitative data were thematically synthesised, quantitative data were examined using descriptive statistics in SPSS. The findings showed that the two main natural resource activities were fishing (35.0%) and sand mining (36.3%), with 87.5% of fishermen employing nets and 40-horsepower machines on a daily basis. For 55.0% of respondents, river-related activities accounted for 26–50% of household income, while for 33.8%, they accounted for 51–75%. Significantly, domestic garbage (61.3%), mangrove removal (27.5%), sand mining (5.0%), and agricultural runoff (5.0%) were the main causes of the worsening water quality, stated by 66.3% of respondents over a five-year period. Despite these environmental issues, 66.3% of respondents said that access to education had improved due to income from natural resources. Significant governance deficiencies were found. Meanwhile, with 97.5% without community-based organisations for managing natural resources, 97.5% receiving no outside money, and 97.5% lacking adequate medical care. The study comes to the conclusion that although the Orugu River sustains important economic activity, the current patterns of exploitation are not environmentally sustainable. It suggests sustainable fishing methods, such as seasonal bans and quotas, regulated sand mining with zones and rehabilitation requirements, conservation of mangroves through community-led restoration, promotion of alternative energy sources to lessen reliance on firewood (currently 81.3%), creation of community-based management frameworks with outside technical assistance, and investment in infrastructure for healthcare and education.
Although their inappropriate exploitation frequently results in environmental degradation that threatens long-term livelihoods, natural resources continue to be essential to socioeconomic growth. In this study, four riparian communities, Jui, Lower Allen Town (Mayemie), Upper Allen Town, and Calaba Town, were evaluated for the socioeconomic and environmental effects of the patterns of natural resource utilisation along the Orugu River in Sierra Leone. Eighty randomly chosen respondents (33.8% fishermen, 30.7% sand miners, 26.3% traders, and 7.5% farmers) were given semi-structured questionnaires as part of the study's mixed-methods design. Personal interviews, field observations, and secondary data from peer-reviewed literature, workshop reports, and census data were also included. While qualitative data were thematically synthesised, quantitative data were examined using descriptive statistics in SPSS. The findings showed that the two main natural resource activities were fishing (35.0%) and sand mining (36.3%), with 87.5% of fishermen employing nets and 40-horsepower machines on a daily basis. For 55.0% of respondents, river-related activities accounted for 26–50% of household income, while for 33.8%, they accounted for 51–75%. Significantly, domestic garbage (61.3%), mangrove removal (27.5%), sand mining (5.0%), and agricultural runoff (5.0%) were the main causes of the worsening water quality, stated by 66.3% of respondents over a five-year period. Despite these environmental issues, 66.3% of respondents said that access to education had improved due to income from natural resources. Significant governance deficiencies were found. Meanwhile, with 97.5% without community-based organisations for managing natural resources, 97.5% receiving no outside money, and 97.5% lacking adequate medical care. The study comes to the conclusion that although the Orugu River sustains important economic activity, the current patterns of exploitation are not environmentally sustainable. It suggests sustainable fishing methods, such as seasonal bans and quotas, regulated sand mining with zones and rehabilitation requirements, conservation of mangroves through community-led restoration, promotion of alternative energy sources to lessen reliance on firewood (currently 81.3%), creation of community-based management frameworks with outside technical assistance, and investment in infrastructure for healthcare and education.