Mansa’s abandoned mine pits could get a second life as community fishponds

What was left behind by manganese mining in Mwale Village, Mansa District, could soon become a source of food and income for the community.

Care for Nature Zambia (CaNZ) is working with government departments and other stakeholders to explore ways of turning some of the abandoned mining pits in the area into productive community assets, including fishponds.

One of the larger pits has already filled with water and become a permanent dam, with residents now catching fish from it.

But before that water can formally be used for fish farming, CaNZ says it will work with the Fisheries Department to assess the site and test the water to determine whether it is suitable.

The proposed fishpond project is part of a wider effort to address the legacy of mining in the community.

CaNZ Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Officer Christian Fulang'anda says the organisation has so far visited two abandoned mining sites in the area.

The organisation also plans to fence the sites as a safety measure, particularly to protect children from falling into the open pits.

Some of the other pits could be filled in altogether, with the reclaimed land potentially used to improve soil fertility and support farming.

The need for rehabilitation is particularly important in a community where abandoned pits have also become stagnant pools and potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Fulang'anda says the organisation, with support from the Southern Africa Trust, has identified additional work that needs to be done to help affected communities.

He says assessments have also shown that the water in the pits, which initially contained toxins, is no longer considered to have the same problem and could potentially support agricultural activities, subject to appropriate testing and assessment.

The proposed rehabilitation effort will involve several stakeholders, including the Fisheries Department, Mansa Municipal Council, Mansa District Land Alliance, the Minerals Regulation Commission, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency, traditional leaders and local residents.

For CaNZ, the idea is not simply to find another use for abandoned pits. It is about addressing the environmental and safety problems left behind by mining while creating opportunities that can benefit the community.

The organisation already lists sustainable mining and natural resource management among its programmes, with a focus on reducing the environmental, economic and social impacts of mining.

The experience in Mwale also reflects a wider challenge facing mining communities: what happens to land after mineral extraction ends?

In this case, the answer could involve filling some pits, securing others and potentially turning suitable water-filled sites into fishponds.

For a community that has lived alongside the consequences of manganese mining, the hope is that some of the land once associated with extraction can eventually support livelihoods instead.