Post-Flood Livelihood Switching and sand Mining: An Ethnographic Study of flood-Risk Feedback in Mmiata-Anam, Anambra State Nigeria

Abstract

Communities living in the riverine areas of Anambra State suffer annual flooding caused by the Omambala and Anambra rivers. The floods of 2022, which were the most severe in Nigeria since 2012, forced more than 650,000 people to leave their homes in six riverine local government areas, one of which is Anambra West, the area in which Mmiata-Anam is situated. This study examined the links between recurring flooding, disrupted livelihoods and sand mining in Mmiata-Anam. The research is grounded in ethnographic observation and a focus group interview with seven farmer-sand miners between the ages of 18 and 40. The findings revealed that following the floods people change the way they earn a living. Sand mining ceases during the flood period and then restarts when the water levels fall, typically from September or October, with the main mining season lasting from December to either June or July. The participants stated that they switch between farming, fishing and mining according to the season. They also noted that the floods refill the areas where sand has been removed. Moreover, they recognised the advantages of flooding, such as improved soil fertility and an increase in fish, yet they did not see a connection between sand mining and riverbank erosion or greater flooding. Applying political ecology and livelihood diversification frameworks, the study concludes that post-flood sand mining is a form of maladaptation driven by the need to generate income. While it may provide a logical explanation for the loss of sand, it could also reduce the river's capacity to protect against future floods. It should be made clear that this research is not concerned with the extent to which sand mining contributes to flooding; instead it focuses on the seasonal nature of the relationship between the disaster and the resource.