Contribution of natural resource exploitation of stone, impact on livelihood and rural development in West Region of Cameroon

Purpose: Stone as a natural resource has always been highly recognized as an income generating activity worldwide. The study on the contribution of natural resource exploitation of stone, impact on livelihood and rural development was conducted in the West Region of Cameroon with the used of purposive random sampling technique. Methodology: The target population for this study were the inhabitants around the quarries involved in the mining and the farmers' activities. From the number of workers, the researchers chose a sample size of 400 miners assuming that the miners in the West region are more than 100000 distributed within four divisions. The study used both primary and secondary data sources. The methods used for the study were interviews, focus group discussions sources, documents analysis and participatory observations. SPSS version 22 and Microsoft Excel were used to analyse data. Finding: Results indicated that 41.61% were artisanal miners while 31.88% were industrial miners. More so, results further revealed that 76.66% were quarry operators and 33.34% were farmers. Unique contribution to theory and practice: The study therefore recommends that the state through the local authorities such as the council could improve on the livelihood of these inhabitants by assisting and respecting their limit areas of stone exploitation, also compensate the villagers whose lands are being exploited especially moderately, upon what they request as terms of compensation not what they offer to them as gift.