Problems
Lake Chad, once one of Africa's largest lakes, is in distress. The lake is shared by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; its basin – which extends as far as Algeria, Libya, and Sudan – offers a lifeline to nearly 40 million people.
Causes of water level decline in Lake Chad
The ever-changing climate has dramatically worsened the situation, amplifying food and nutritional insecurity in the region. Temperature is rising one-and-a-half times faster than the global average. The seasonal and inter-rainfall patterns have been drastically changing each year. This has triggered food insecurity, ultimately pushing communities into the arms of terrorist groups. Over the last 60 years, the lake's size has decreased by 90 percent as a result of overuse of the water, extended drought, and the impacts of climate change. The lake's surface area has plummeted from 26,000 square kilometres in 1963 to less than 1,500 square kilometers today. The reduction, which has been called an ecological disaster, has not only destroyed livelihoods but led to the loss of invaluable biodiversity. In the 1960s, the lake hosted about 135 fish species, and fishermen captured 200,000 metric tonnes of fish yearly, providing an important source of food security and income to the basin's populace and beyond. During this period, it is estimated that there were about 20,000 commercial fish sellers in Chad alone.
Consequences of reducing the size of the lake
The lake's shrinkage has caused social and environmental problems, such as conflict, migration, and loss of livelihoods. About 30 million people depend on the lake for fishing, farming, and pastoralism, but these activities become more difficult and less productive as the lake recedes. The conflict between herders and farmers over scarce land and water resources has intensified, leading to violence and displacement. Some people have also joined extremist groups such as Boko Haram, which exploits the grievances and vulnerabilities of the affected communities. The migration of people from the lake region to other areas has increased the pressure on already strained resources and services, creating further tensions and instability. The drying up of Lake Chad is a complex and urgent humanitarian crisis that requires regional and international cooperation and action.
Gallery
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Timelines
2023
January 24
Lake Chad Niamey Conference concludes with a solid commitment to strengthening joint action for immediate and longer-term response in the region. The Conference reiterated the critical need to address growing humanitarian needs, the root causes and the interconnected dimensions of the Lake Chad Basin crisis and strengthen the resilience of millions of people affected.
2018
February 22
UNESCO held a conference in Abuja. The theme of the meeting was “Saving Lake Chad to restore its basin’s ecosystem for sustainable development, security and livelihoods”.
2017
November
Lake Chad had shrunk by 90% since the 1960s due to climate change, increased population, and unplanned irrigation. Its basin covers parts of Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon and has been a water source for between 20 million and 30 million people.
2014
March 15
The World Bank expresses interest in supporting the Chadian government’s efforts to tackle the issue of restoring Lake Chad. It sends a mission to visit the lake and meet with government and regional officials. Lake Chad region was struck by extensive violence associated with the Boko Haram movement in the whole region. Millions of individuals have been displaced, disrupted trade, and destabilised the regional economy. These challenges have strengthened the integrative dynamics developed in recent years between the States bordering the Lake: border agreements, joint mobilization, and solidarity to restore security and provide joint development projects to create employment and wealth.
2003
January 05
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), an intergovernmental organization of the lake’s riparian states, adopts a Strategic Action Programme to address the environmental and socio-economic issues affecting the basin.
1964
May 22
Lake Chad, once known as "the Pale-Chadian Sea," was the fourth biggest lake in Africa in 1963, with a surface area of 25 000 km2. Situated in the Sahel region of Africa and bordered by four countries – Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon, and dependent on a basin that includes six countries covered by the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), including the Central African Republic and Libya, this lake was one of the African continent's most significant bodies of fresh water.