As part of the Lake Chad Basin Conservation Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission, a series of field missions were launched at the beginning of 2025 in the three partner countries: Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. These missions allowed for meetings with local communities, identification of areas to be rehabilitated, and collaboration with local stakeholders to define sustainable restoration strategies tailored to each context.
Strengthening Ecosystem Resilience in Cameroon
From January 15 to 18, 2025, a field mission took place in the towns of Petté and Maga, Cameroon, as part of the project’s component on the restoration and rehabilitation of wetlands and agro-pastoral areas. The objective of this mission was to work with the communities to develop realistic and context-specific restoration plans. Through community consultations, the areas to be rehabilitated were defined, site maps validated, and types of restoration activities selected. The six beneficiary communities of the Abouli Forest and those along the shores of Lake Maga were consulted regarding the profiles of the areas to be rehabilitated and had the opportunity to review past interventions to draw the best lessons for future actions. These consultations involved discussions with local authorities, including the Sub-Prefect and the heads of forest posts in Petté and Maga. The communities from the villages of Doutarou, Niwadji, Karal Tané, Namaredji, Amahaïri, and Badadaye were also consulted to assess the progress made and to thank local actors for their support of the project.
Conflict Sensitivity and Natural Resource Management in Niger
From December 28 to January 6, 2025, an assessment mission was carried out in Niger, focusing on conflict sensitivity in the RAMSAR sites of Lassouri Marsh and Guidimouni Lake. The objective was to better understand local social dynamics and prepare conflict-sensitive strategies for restoration activities. More than 500 participants took part in focus groups and individual interviews. In Lassouri, 18 focus groups gathered 87 men, 114 women, and 128 youth, while in Guidimouni, 12 focus groups engaged 48 men, 149 women, and 120 youth. This mission provided a clear diagnosis of the local context and underlying conflict factors related to natural resources. It also analyzed the impact of gender, land restoration, and income-generating activities (IGAs) on conflict dynamics. Finally, a conflict sensitivity strategy was developed, along with a monitoring system tailored to the project’s specific context. This conflict sensitivity assessment in the RAMSAR sites is crucial for a better understanding of local dynamics and for developing strategies that strengthen social cohesion and prevent the escalation of existing tensions.
Ecosystem Restoration in Chad
From January 9 to 16, 2025, a joint mission by Alinea International and the Organisation Sauvons le lac Tchad (OSLT) took place in the Mont ILLI and Chari departments in Chad. The objective of this mission was to organize community consultations around potential RAMSAR sites in order to involve the communities in selecting areas for restoration. The villages of Dablaka, Biseo1, Kedwa, Fortkoumaye, Gouala 1, and Folmaye in the Mont ILLI department, as well as Wouldou 1 and Darda in the Chari department, were consulted. Following these discussions, eight sites were selected, six in the Mont ILLI department and two in the Chari department. These consultations not only helped strengthen the communities’ commitment to supporting restoration efforts but also allowed for the development of an action plan for the next steps of the project. The consultations were facilitated by technicians from the state’s decentralized services in agriculture, livestock, wildlife, and the environment, with the support of local resource persons from the affected areas.
