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Sustainable and economically viable approaches to farming can create longterm agri-employment and environmental benefits , explains White . “ A mine can be a great employer for 20 years or more but when it closes there ’ s nothing ,” he warns . “ If you can create high-value agri-processing that ’ s inclusive and maintains employment levels then those jobs can last forever .” It ’ s the creation of a genuine long-term footprint that drives White and his team ; the opportunity to help mining companies co-create sustainable self-standing agribusinesses , driving a shift from subsistence farming towards revenue-generating enterprises and greater employment . Governments across Africa are increasingly wanting to issue licences to mining companies capable of supporting the population around the mine . “ It ’ s OK replanting trees when you leave a mine site , but what happens to the many people employed there when it closes ?” questions White , who argues that new mines , often in environmentally sensitive areas , need attractive alternative employment opportunities to deal with the inevitable migration of workers . “ You can actually create a hub
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