Mitigating impacts of cement production to livelihoods and environment :

Abstract

The objective of this study was to find out mitigative measures to the impact of cement factory on health, livelihoods and environment in Osukuru Sub County, Tororo district. The study mainly unearthed the impact of cement production on physical, social and economic spheres of the environment. The study also relied on the information collected qualitatively through individual interviews coupled with personal observation. The findings in the study reveal that the activity has led to a small scale ecological destruction during the extraction of raw materials to be used for cement production thus destroying people’s ability to survive hence trade of the of the products are unbalanced yet the natural resource without taking the responsibility of the environmental damage to the community where resources are exploited for cement production. Descriptive design was used where simple random samplings were obtained from respondents and only a total of 60 respondents were considered in the study. The researcher use primary data to conduct a comprehensive study by the use if questionnaire. Qualitative data collection was coded, entered in to excel software for presentation using pie charts and graphs. It was discovered that the impacts produced by the factory from cement manufacturing produced hazardous impacts that affected the surrounding residents of Osukuru, like dust, noise and vibration in Mudakor village were affected equally, age group of 18-25 years, and females more than males. In conclusion, there should be monitoring of the impacts regularly to create a health environment to the welfare of the respondents Osukuru since health and livelihoods were affected most.