An essential source of freshwater in Africa, Lake Chad was once one of the largest lakes on the continent. According to the Lake Chad Basin Commission, it has shrunk by more than 90 per cent over the past 60 years due to droughts and decreased rainfall. It now faces an uncertain climate future.
Nearly 30 million people rely on this body of water, according to the United Nations.
Canada is responding to the complex set of issues facing the region, including the climate crisis. Canadian Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan recently visited Chad, as well as Ethiopia and Egypt where he reaffirmed Canada’s engagement in Africa.
“Today’s confluence of crises has set back progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals across Africa and increased the vulnerability of the continent’s least-developed countries,” said Minister Sajjan in a news release.
To learn about development work in Chad, he met with Canadian partners including Martin Blackburn, Regional Field Director for Alinea’s new project working on gender-transformative conservation in the Lake Chad Basin.
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Lake Chad Basin Conservation Project aims to enhance the climate resilience of ecosystems and marginalized communities structurally vulnerable to climate change. With a focus on women and youth, the project team will apply nature-based climate solutions to six Lake Chad Basin RAMSAR wetland sites in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
“Wetlands in the Lake Chad basin region are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, making the millions of people who depend on them for their livelihoods even more vulnerable, especially women and youth,” said Blackburn. “Over the next three years, we will be actively supporting communities in their development and application of nature-based climate solutions to ensure long term environmental and socioeconomic resilience.”
The project team will use an integrated approach to achieve better conservation and restoration of wetlands and adjoining agricultural landscapes, as well as contribute to sustainable and equitable use of ecosystems. Additionally, an environmental peacebuilding approach and the application of traditional, local and Indigenous knowledge and practices will help reduce local conflict related to use and access of resources.
Regional and local partners on this project include the Lake Chad Basin Commission (the intergovernmental authority responsible for managing the basin’s water resources), as well as women’s rights and youth-led organizations.
Technical implementing partners include:
- The Centre d’enseignement et de recherche en foresterie de Sainte-Foy (CERFO) will provide expertise in remote sensing and geographic information systems.
- The Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) will brings its expertise in traditional, local and Indigenous practices to the project.
- UN Association Canada (UNAC) will support youth empowerment with a particular focus on young women and girls.
- Wetlands international Afrique will provide extensive wetland restoration knowledge and experience.
- The Center for the Promotion of Human Rights and Development in Africa (CPHDA) will lead peacebuilding and community mobilization actions.