Balancing economic gains and environmental sustainability: the role of artisanal gold mining in achieving SDGs 1 and 15 in Gaoua, Burkina Faso

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to eliminate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity by 2030. In Gaoua, artisanal gold mining is an essential source of income, but it also poses socio-economic and environmental challenges. This study assesses its impact on achieving SDG 1 (poverty eradication) and 15 (protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems), highlighting the synergies and trade-offs between economic development and environmental sustainability. The study uses a descriptive and analytical approach based on empirical data, focusing on the artisanal mining sites of Djikando and Gbourbi with qualitative and quantitative methods. The results show that 71% of artisanal miners exceed the guaranteed minimum wage (SMIG) of 45,000 FCFA, with an average annual income estimated at 1,800,000 FCFA, well above the poverty line of 351,170 FCFA per year in the commune. However, the sector faces economic and security instability, preventing the most vulnerable artisans from breaking out of their precarious situation in the long term, with 89% of them living in precarious conditions. About 27% of mining artisans use hazardous chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, threatening terrestrial ecosystems. Analysis of stakeholders' perceptions regarding environmental risks highlights major concerns such as deforestation, pollution, soil erosion and biodiversity loss, as well as their impacts on health. To achieve SDGs 1 and 15 simultaneously, the study recommends formalising the artisanal gold mining sector, restoring ecosystems through reforestation, regulating toxic substances and promoting gravimetric ore processing techniques.