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rtcc respond
Lake Chad’s

fight for its

vanishing Photo: Chad drought UN Photos © Eskinder Debebe

waters Promoting an integrated approach to

agriculture in the context of climate change

An integrated approach ii) Water Resources Management at Basin Level
Lake Chad is the largest, fresh water reservoir in the Sahel region of Africa. It is the Recognizing that water is central to the sustenance
fourth largest lake in Africa after Lake Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyassa respectively. The and productivity of the environment and sustainable
resources of the Lake and its basin provided the subsistence for the livelihood of more agricultural development, the LCBC has instituted the
than 30 million people, most of whom are farmers, fshermen and livestock breeders. implementation of IWRM as a guiding principle in the
management of the natural resources of the Lake Chad
Rain-fed and foodplain agriculture constitute the second largest source of income Basin. These are:
after fshing activities in the Lake Chad basin. Irrigated agriculture is the third largest
contributor to the economy of the basin. Natural conditions in the Lake Chad basin • Management of resources per Basin unit;
have favored the promotion of irrigated agriculture through the development of • Taking into account of the economic and social value of
hydro-agricultural schemes with partial or total control of water. water;
As of 1995, 213,400 hectares (ha) were planned for irrigation, but only 33,824 ha • Cross-sector and concerted management;
developed with only 23% of the schemes functional. Recent fgures obtained in 2008 • Environmental sustainability;
give a total of 153,999 ha under irrigation. The most important irrigation schemes are • Participatory governance.
found mainly in Nigeria which alone accounts for 72% of the schemes.
The LCBC has been reforming itself to play the role of
In order to improve sustainable management of the natural resources of the Lake Chad coordinating the implementation of integrated natural
basin, the LCBC and its principal stakeholders have conducted studies and developed resources management for sustainable development in the
tools aimed at integrated management of natural resources of the Lake Chad basin. Lake Chad Basin. Diagnosis studies have been undertaken
and recommendations for harmonization of policies for
i) Lake Chad Vision 2025 sustainable agricultural development were identifed.
The LCBC has developed a common shared vision that is in conformity with the
aspiration of the people of the Lake Chad Basin and in line with the Africa Water The 14th Summit of the LCBC Heads of State and
Vision 2025. The Lake Chad Vision 2025 states: Government held on 30th April 2012 in Chad adopted the
Water Charter of the Lake Chad Basin, to improve equitable
The Lake Chad Region would like to see by the year 2025 the Lake Chad – common and sustainable use of water resources and reinforce
heritage – and other wetlands maintained at sustainable levels to ensure the economic cooperation on water issues among member countries.
security of the freshwater ecosystem resources, sustained biodiversity and aquatic
resources of the basin, the use of which should be equitable to serve the needs of the By Engr. Sanusi Imran Abdullahi,
population of the basin thereby reducing the poverty level. Executive Secretary,
Lake Chad Basin Commission
www.cblt.org
The Lake Chad Basin is situated in Central Africa.
It comprises a vast expanse of land made up of
several catchments that feed Lake Chad. The entire
geographical basin covers an area of 2,434,000 km 2
but the active hydrological basin is 966,955 km .
2
The Lake Chad itself is a terminal depression of
the Lake Chad drainage basin and is experiencing
gradual and drastic shrinkage in surface area
since the 1970’s.
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) is an
Intergovernmental organization created on 22nd
May, 1964 in Fort-Lamy now called N’Djamena,
capital city of the Republic of Chad. The mandate
of the Commission is to regulate and rationalize
the sustainable use of the Lake Chad and its
resources.

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