Moving sand : sand connections and the role of (truck) transport in sand commodity chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania
- Author
- Bert Suykens (UGent) , Siyum Adugna Mamo (UGent) , Mery Kapito, Atique Rahman and Christina Shitima
- Organization
- Abstract
- Foregrounding the importance of sand connections to understand sand geographies, this study investigates the overlooked role of transport in sand commodity chains across the Global South, focusing on Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Through qualitative fieldwork (including more than 150 interviews), it reveals how transport dynamics profoundly shape sand economies by influencing pricing, accessibility, and extraction site selection. It counters common assumptions about the short-haul nature of sand. Truck drivers emerge as pivotal actors who directly link extraction sites to urban markets. The study underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of the impact of transport on sand extraction and distribution. Transport costs emerge as a critical determinant of sand prices, with fuel expenses playing a significant role. Moreover, truck drivers have substantial agency in decision-making as they source sand based on factors such as quality and price. Regulatory practices, including permits and police encounters, present challenges, with bribery and informal arrangements prevalent. This study underscores the multifaceted nature of sand transport, influenced by geographical, regulatory, and economic factors, and the ways in which sand connections are based on the interaction between social relations, infrastructures, and the materiality of sand. It shows that transport can and should play a key role in policy debates on sand governance.
- Keywords
- Sand transport, Sand connections, trucks, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania, MINERALS
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01JPSEJWZXFRBA5Q16JVDNR9V1
- MLA
- Suykens, Bert, et al. “Moving Sand : Sand Connections and the Role of (Truck) Transport in Sand Commodity Chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.” EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY, vol. 23, 2025, doi:10.1016/j.exis.2025.101652.
- APA
- Suykens, B., Mamo, S. A., Kapito, M., Rahman, A., & Shitima, C. (2025). Moving sand : sand connections and the role of (truck) transport in sand commodity chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY, 23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2025.101652
- Chicago author-date
- Suykens, Bert, Siyum Adugna Mamo, Mery Kapito, Atique Rahman, and Christina Shitima. 2025. “Moving Sand : Sand Connections and the Role of (Truck) Transport in Sand Commodity Chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.” EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY 23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2025.101652.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Suykens, Bert, Siyum Adugna Mamo, Mery Kapito, Atique Rahman, and Christina Shitima. 2025. “Moving Sand : Sand Connections and the Role of (Truck) Transport in Sand Commodity Chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.” EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY 23. doi:10.1016/j.exis.2025.101652.
- Vancouver
- 1.Suykens B, Mamo SA, Kapito M, Rahman A, Shitima C. Moving sand : sand connections and the role of (truck) transport in sand commodity chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY. 2025;23.
- IEEE
- [1]B. Suykens, S. A. Mamo, M. Kapito, A. Rahman, and C. Shitima, “Moving sand : sand connections and the role of (truck) transport in sand commodity chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania,” EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY, vol. 23, 2025.
@article{01JPSEJWZXFRBA5Q16JVDNR9V1,
abstract = {{Foregrounding the importance of sand connections to understand sand geographies, this study investigates the overlooked role of transport in sand commodity chains across the Global South, focusing on Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Through qualitative fieldwork (including more than 150 interviews), it reveals how transport dynamics profoundly shape sand economies by influencing pricing, accessibility, and extraction site selection. It counters common assumptions about the short-haul nature of sand. Truck drivers emerge as pivotal actors who directly link extraction sites to urban markets. The study underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of the impact of transport on sand extraction and distribution. Transport costs emerge as a critical determinant of sand prices, with fuel expenses playing a significant role. Moreover, truck drivers have substantial agency in decision-making as they source sand based on factors such as quality and price. Regulatory practices, including permits and police encounters, present challenges, with bribery and informal arrangements prevalent. This study underscores the multifaceted nature of sand transport, influenced by geographical, regulatory, and economic factors, and the ways in which sand connections are based on the interaction between social relations, infrastructures, and the materiality of sand. It shows that transport can and should play a key role in policy debates on sand governance.}},
articleno = {{101652}},
author = {{Suykens, Bert and Mamo, Siyum Adugna and Kapito, Mery and Rahman, Atique and Shitima, Christina}},
issn = {{2214-790X}},
journal = {{EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES AND SOCIETY}},
keywords = {{Sand transport,Sand connections,trucks,Bangladesh,Ethiopia,Tanzania,MINERALS}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{10}},
title = {{Moving sand : sand connections and the role of (truck) transport in sand commodity chains in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Tanzania}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2025.101652}},
volume = {{23}},
year = {{2025}},
}
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