Poverty and Livelihood Diversification in Rural Liberia: Exploring the Linkages Between Artisanal Diamond Mining and Smallholder Rice Production

Gavin Hilson (1) , Steven van Bockstael (2)

1 School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
2 EGMONT Institute

This paper provides an account of the changing livelihood dynamics unfolding in diamond-rich territories of rural Liberia. In these areas, many farm families are using the rice harvested on their plots to attract and feed labourers recruited specifically to mine for diamonds. The monies accrued from the sales of all recovered stones are divided evenly between the family and hired hands, an arrangement which, for thousands of people, has proved to be an effective short-term buffer against poverty. A deepened knowledge of these dynamics could be an important step towards facilitating lasting development in Liberia's highly-impoverished rural areas.

Mots clés: Social Sciences & Humanities

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société

Gavin Hilson, Steven van Bockstael. Poverty and Livelihood Diversification in Rural Liberia: Exploring the Linkages Between Artisanal Diamond Mining and Smallholder Rice Production. The Journal of Development Studies, 2012, 48 (03), pp.413-428. ⟨10.1080/00220388.2011.604414⟩. ⟨hal-00807098⟩