Waste Management Practices, Ecosystem Resilience and Sustainable Development in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Communities: Evidence from Gakenke District, Rwanda
Rukanya Zachee *
Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Lay Adventists of Kigali (UNILAK), P.O. Box 6392, Kigali, Rwanda.
Ediagbonya Faraday Thompson
Department of Environmental Studies, Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Lay Adventists of Kigali (UNILAK), P.O. Box 6392, Kigali, Rwanda.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to assess the association between waste management practices and ecosystem resilience and sustainable development outcomes among artisanal and small-scale mining communities in Gakenke District, Northern Rwanda.
Study Design: A mixed-methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was applied.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in artisanal and other small-scale mining sites in Gakenke District, Northern Province, Rwanda, between 2025 and 2026.
Methodology: The study used a mixed-methods design combining descriptive and explanatory approaches, surveying 370 respondents selected via purposive and stratified random sampling. Data collection tools included a 45-item structured questionnaire, 12 key informant interviews, field observations, and laboratory water quality analysis (pH, Fe, Cr, Zn) from three mining-affected rivers. Data were analysed using SPSS v28 through descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression, alongside a comparison of laboratory results with Rwanda's RS 110:2017 standards. Reliability was assessed through piloting and Cronbach's alpha coefficients, which are reported for each multi-item scale, while validity was established through triangulation and expert review.
Results: Waste classification and sorting was the most commonly reported practice (77.0%; mean = 4.20), whereas environmental monitoring and reporting was the least implemented (59.5%; mean = 3.85), followed by progressive site rehabilitation (63.5%; mean = 3.92). Waste management practices showed a significant positive relationship with ecosystem resilience and sustainable development outcomes (r = 0.666, p < 0.001) and explained 44.4% of the variation in resilience indicators (R² = 0.444; β = 0.592, p < 0.001). Laboratory results from a single sampling round at three sites revealed elevated metal concentrations in mining-affected water resources, with iron concentrations ranging from 7.1 to 21.2 mg/L and chromium concentrations from 0.215 to 0.78 mg/L, exceeding Rwanda's National Standards (RS 110:2017), whereas pH and zinc concentrations remained within permissible limits.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that inadequate waste containment, limited environmental monitoring, and weak rehabilitation practices are associated with ecosystem degradation and threaten sustainable development in artisanal and small-scale mining areas. Strengthening mining waste management systems, environmental monitoring, miner training, and post-mining rehabilitation programmes is essential for improving ecosystem resilience and promoting sustainable mining practices in Rwanda.
Keywords: Artisanal and small-scale mining, waste management, ecosystem resilience, water pollution, sustainable development, environmental degradation, Rwanda