Curse of the Nile’s gold: how Sudan is losing its fertile fields and ability to produce food

What Happened

Artisanal gold mining in Abu Hamad, River Nile state, has expanded to account for over 90% of Sudan's gold production in 2024, leading to severe environmental degradation and the collapse of local agriculture. The use of toxic chemicals like mercury, cyanide, and thiourea in processing tailings has resulted in soil salinity spikes, contaminated water supplies, and reports of congenital abnormalities in livestock and humans. Local farmers report that wheat yields have dropped from 40-60 sacks per acre to 12-18 sacks, while orange production has plummeted, threatening food security beyond the local level.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The unregulated gold sector serves as a primary financial lifeline for both the SAF and RSF, directly incentivizing the continuation of the civil war. The environmental destruction in River Nile state, a region currently under SAF control, demonstrates how the war economy is permanently eroding Sudan's long-term agricultural capacity and public health, creating a secondary humanitarian crisis that will persist regardless of the conflict's outcome.

Watch For

Monitor for further reports on the expansion of mining waste during the rainy season, which historically causes toxic runoff to spread into residential areas. Additionally, watch for any shifts in gold export data or international pressure regarding the illicit trade of Sudanese gold, which currently bypasses formal oversight and fuels the ongoing military stalemate.