Why do land mines make agriculture difficult in Angola?

The presence of land mines buried throughout the countryside during years of conflict is considered the greatest impediment to both subsistence and commercial agriculture in Angola.1

These explosives pose a severe threat to the rural population, which is responsible for much of the country's agricultural work. Because women constitute the majority of the rural workforce, they have been disproportionately affected by the danger posed by these devices. The widespread contamination of land effectively restricts the use of arable soil, preventing farmers from safely cultivating crops and hindering the country's overall agricultural potential.21