Der steinige weg zum fairen gold herausforderungen der zertifizierung von kleinbergbau in ostafrika

More than 16 million people worldwide work in informal gold mines with significant negative impacts on the environment, health and social communities. In 2012, the Fairtrade initiative launched a project in East Africa to establish standards for sus- j tainable gold mining. The first cooperatives were certified in 2017. However, so far only a symbolic quantity of the precious metal has been exported. Obstacles are a lack of a financing concept, or leadership, a lack of geological expertise and prolonged rainy seasons, which can bring production to a stand- \ still for several months. In perspective, the comparatively low yield has the potential to disappoint the participating cooperatives. Only the additional premium for eco-gold will be able to prevent this scenario. In conclusion it seems necessary for a stronger specialisation and breakdown of the areas of mining, production and export to take place within the project.