Return to the Indigenous Cultural Value of Land Stewardship and Respect Nature’s Rights: Ghanaian Farmers Should Resist the Sale of Ancestral Farmlands to Galamsey Operators

Abstract

Illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) in Ghana threatens environmental integrity, public health, and socio-economic resilience. This editorial argues that ancestral farmlands must be protected, emphasizing that their sale to galamsey operators undermines indigenous cultural values of land stewardship and violates fundamental ecological rights. Using the Rights of Nature (RoN) framework, the paper highlights that ecosystems such as forests, rivers, and farmlands possess intrinsic rights to exist, thrive, and regenerate, which humans are ethically obliged to respect. Evidence demonstrates that galamsey causes soil degradation, mercury and cyanide contamination, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and long-term declines in agricultural productivity, affecting livelihoods, food security, and community health. Mining-induced destruction of sacred groves and ancestral landscapes further erodes cultural identity, social cohesion, and intergenerational knowledge. By adopting the Rights of Nature perspective, farmers, traditional authorities, and local leaders are called to safeguard communal lands, recognizing that short-term economic incentives cannot offset ecological and cultural losses. Upholding these rights promotes sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community resilience, ensuring that both human and non-human stakeholders benefit from a just and balanced ecological system. Protecting farmland under a Rights of Nature ethos is crucial for sustaining Ghana’s socio-ecological future.