Lake Chad Research Articles

Using open-source software GRASS GIS for analysis of the environmental patterns in Lake Chad, Central Africa

Summary Lake Chad, situated in the semi-arid region of African Sahel, plays a vital role in hydrogeological balance of regional ecosystems. It presents an essential water source and provides a habitat for rare wildlife species including migrating waterbirds. However, the lake has shrunk significantly since the 1960s and has continued to reduce in size and extent during recent decades. Trends in drying and shrinking of Lake Chad are caused by environmental factors and changed climate. The desiccation of the lake is threatening environmental sustainability. This study focused on identification of changes in the Chad Lake area, wetland extent, and associated land cover types. The methods include the Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) Geographic Information System (GIS) for remote sensing data classification. The maximum likelihood discriminant analysis classifier was applied for analysis of multispectral Landsat 8–9 OLI/TIRS images in 2013, 2017, and 2022. Detected changes in land cover types reflect variations in water balance and wetland area and extent around Lake Chad over recent decades. Cartographic scripting tools of GRASS GIS provide an efficient method of digital image processing for monitoring endorheic lakes of Central Africa. GRASS GIS methods provide an opportunity to automatically classify Earth observation data with cartographic scripts for environmental monitoring.

Historical Review on Water Level Changes in Lake Kinneret (Israel) and Incomparable Perspectives

A long-term (1933–2022) record of water level (WL) fluctuations in Lake Kinneret was reviewed. The dependence of the Kinneret WL management on climate change (flood–dryness alternate), dam and National Water Carrier (NWC) constructions constrained by water availability and domestic supply demands were indicated. A short-term range of maximal WL decline of 4–6 m and 4.6–6.5% of the total surface area of lake water shrinkage in Lake Kinneret was documented. Nevertheless, incomparably longer periods and higher amplitudes of WL decline accompanied by a dramatic shrinking of the water surface were documented in Lake Tchad, the Aral Sea and Lake Sivan (SAT). Therefore, the comparative results of WL decline in Lake Kinneret and in other lakes as SAT are not justified.

Military expenditures and human capital development in sub-Saharan Africa: a system GMM approach

ABSTRACT This study investigates the military outlays effects on human capital development in sub-Saharan Africa. By using panel data covering 44 countries from 1995 to 2020, a system Generalized Method of Moments is adopted as the estimation technique of a dynamic panel model. Findings show that military outlays have a significant positive effect on education spending in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the sensitivity analysis reports a mitigated result, highlighting the diversity of evidence on the ‘guns better than butter’ literature. While military outlays positively affect education expenditures in central and southern African sub-regions, they crowd-out the public spending allocated to education development in Sahel & Lake Chad area, western and eastern sub-regions. These results, therefore, suggest that policy makers should promote the approach which considers defense as a component of socioeconomic development by regulating the perfect ratio of military spending that meets their needs.

Islamic Pilantrophy as A Mechanism in Improving Agricultural Products and Sustenance in the Refugees Camps of the Lake Chad Basin Sub-Region

The Insecurity crossing the Lake Chad basin and North Eastern Nigeria seriously affected the activities of farming, fishing and other agricultural programs in the region. Lake provide water for irrigation, fishing activities, water for cattle, and link of water transportation across the four counties that shares the lake. The paper fund that many communities abandoned their agricultural activities and relocated to IDPs for their safety of life. This situation caused great lost to the affected communities and many people became unemployed and then falls into poverty every day. Using descriptive and analytical method, this study discusses the socio-economic role of Islamic philanthropy in funding the agricultural sector to restore the sources of livelihoods of the refugees camps of north Eastern Nigeria. philanthropy known as (Waqf) is a voluntary charity in terms of land and property and is proven to be a strong instrument to reduce various burdens of life. Meanwhile, the paper recommends how this will be designed in order to reach the targeted communities.

Changes in the Spatiotemporal of Net Primary Productivity in the Conventional Lake Chad Basin between 2001 and 2020 Based on CASA Model

Accurate estimation of vegetation Net Primary Productivity (NPP) has important theoretical and practical significance for ecological environment governance, carbon cycle research, and the rational development and utilization of natural resources. In this study, the spatial characteristics, temporal changes, and driving factors of NPP in the Conventional Lake Chad Basin (CLCB) were based on MODIS data by constructing a Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model and using a combination of Residual trends (RESTREND) and correlation analysis. The results showed that from 2001 to 2020, the NPP of the CLCB decreased annually (1.14 g C/m2), mainly because of overgrazing, deforestation, and large-scale irrigation. We conducted a driving factor analysis and found that the main influencing factor of the NPP of the CLCB is high-intensity human activities, including farmland reclamation and animal husbandry. Although the impact of climate change on NPP is not obvious in the short term, climate change may help recover NPP in the long term. The continued reduction in NPP has greatly increased the difficulty of regreening the Sahel; the increase in population density and rapid urbanization have led are major contributing factors to this. Our findings have important implications for the continued implementation of stringent revegetation policies. However, owing to limited data and methods, only the overall change trend of NPP was obtained, and comprehensive follow-up studies are needed.

Proposed Solutions to the Problems of the Lake Chad Fisheries: Resilience Lessons for Africa?

Fishing communities in Lake Chad are experiencing humanitarian crises—more than five million people in the region are hungry and malnourished—and fishers are in dire need of improved fisheries management policies. Understanding the fishers’ resilience, and how they perceive their fisheries policies, could provide an opportunity for governments and fisheries managers to refine their policies. The present study, which is based on 38 semi-structured interviews carried out between January and April 2022 on the Nigerian shores of Lake Chad, breaks new ground, firstly by seeking to understand the issues raised by declining fish stocks in Lake Chad from the viewpoints of fishers themselves; and secondly by making use of resilience theory to interpret the fishers’ responses to their situation. Our findings are that the fishers have a surer grasp of the most effective resilience strategies available to them than external bodies; and that the fishers’ adaptive resilience and local knowledge provide a framework for developing smarter fisheries management policies for Lake Chad. This study provides evidence to support recommendations for Africa’s supranational, national and local governments to invest in, and make use of, the fisheries research on the ground to address the problems facing its fisheries, rather than experimenting with seemingly random ideas from across the globe. The Lake Chad fisheries crisis is an extreme case demonstrating the harmful effects of external influences from which the fisheries of other African countries can learn lessons.

Geophysical and Remote Sensing Assessment of Chad’s Groundwater Resources

Because of climate change and human activity, North and Central Africa are experiencing a significant water shortage. Recent advancements in earth observation technologies have made widespread groundwater monitoring possible. To examine spatial and temporal mass fluctuations caused by groundwater variations in Chad, gravity solutions from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), climatic model outputs, and precipitation data are integrated. The results are as follows: (1) The investigated region experienced average annual precipitation (AAP) rates of 351.6, 336.22, and 377.8 mm yr−1, throughout the overall investigation period (04/2002–12/2021), Period I (04/2002–12/2011), and Period II (01/2012–12/2021), respectively. (2) Using the three gravity solutions, the average Terrestrial Water Storage Variations (ΔTWS) values are estimated to be +0.26 ± 0.04, +0.006 ± 0.10, and +0.64 ± 0.12 cm yr−1, for the overall study period, periods I, and II, respectively. (3) Throughout the full period, periods I, and II, the groundwater storage fluctuations (ΔGWS) are calculated to be +0.25 ± 0.04, +0.0001 ± 0.099, and +0.62 ± 0.12 cm yr−1, respectively after removing the soil moisture (ΔSMS) and Lake Chad water level trend values. (4) The country receives an average natural recharge rate of +0.32 ± 0.04, +0.068 ± 0.099, and +0.69 ± 0.12 cm yr−1, throughout the whole period, Periods I, and II, respectively. (5) The southern mountainous regions of Erdi, Ennedi, Tibesti, and Darfur are receiving higher rainfall rates that may recharge the northern part of Chad through the stream networks; in addition to the Lake Chad and the higher rainfall over southern Chad might help recharge the central and southern parts of the country. (6) A preferred groundwater flow path from the Kufra (Chad and Libya) to the Dakhla basin (Egypt) appears to be the Pelusium mega shear system, which trends north-east. The findings suggest that GRACE is useful for monitoring changes in groundwater storage and recharge rates across large areas. Our observation-based methodology provides a unique understanding of monthly ground-water patterns at the state level, which is essential for successful interstate resource allocation, future development, and policy initiatives, as well as having broad scientific implications for arid and semiarid countries.

L’art de se nourrir en temps de crise aggravée et en contexte d’insécurité alimentaire structurelle

Dans la région de Diffa au Niger, à une situation alimentaire structurellement déficitaire en raison d’une croissance démographique forte en zone aride, se surimpose une crise sécuritaire liée au groupe djihadiste Boko Haram, qui a entrainé un déplacement massif de population et une crise humanitaire majeure à l’échelle régionale. Au travers d’études successives depuis 2017, complétées par une enquête auprès de personnes hôtes, déplacées et réfugiées, nous analysons les recompositions à l’œuvre dans l’alimentation locale et la commensalité. Malgré l’éclatement des familles, leur redistribution dans le territoire et les ruptures brutales des mobilités qui assuraient les systèmes de subsistances, nous montrons que les habitants persistent à faire encore trois repas par jour, à rassembler la famille, à organiser les repas de fêtes et même à adopter des innovations alimentaires urbaines. Les changements dans l’alimentation ne sont pas tous liés à la crise sécuritaire, ils révèlent aussi l’adoption de pratiques et de produits nouveaux, « faute de mieux » ou par goût de la nouveauté, qui témoignent de dynamiques sur un temps plus long et d’échanges sur de longues distances.

Institutional counterinsurgency frameworks in the Lake Chad Basin: the case of the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram

ABSTRACT The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is engaged in active combat operations against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin, but the latter remains very resilient and continues to launch lethal attacks. Yet, scholarship has failed to examine the institutional circumstances that account for the lack of success by the MNJTF. This article explores the influence of the counterinsurgency frameworks of the Organization of African Unity (OAU)/African Union (AU), Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on the operations of the MNJTF. It takes a critical look at how the MNJTF’s states’ affiliation to separate sub-regional blocs influences military and intelligence cooperation among them. The article argues that the AU, ECOWAS, and ECCAS institutional counterinsurgency frameworks severely limit military and intelligence collaboration among its member nations, therefore impeding the MNJTF’s operations.

Regional Security and Threat Dynamics: Lake Chad Region in Perspective

The Lake Chad (LC) region today is at crossroads, facing enormous security challenges from the Boko Haram / ISWAP insurgency with very important implications for regional stability. The largely unsecured borders of the region provide platforms for terrorist activities. Unarguably, cross-border security is a historical concern for the Lake Chad region countries. The authors attempt to explore the emerging regionalisation of (in) security and externality of threats around the Lake Chad region. Using the framework of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT), it conceptualises regional security within the trajectories of the threat in the region. RSCT provides a theoretical and conceptual framework for understanding the emergent structure and dynamics of regional security. The paper adopts the qualitative research method which offers an in-depth description and analysis of the regionalisation of security threats in the LC region. The paper unveils that despite a plethora of research on resurging threats of violent terrorism and the huge publicity of Boko Haram activities in the Lake Chad region, little is known within academia on the element of ethno-cultural and historical tendencies in regional security in the LC region. It thus posits that addressing the challenge of regional security, especially in the Lake Chad would require holistic approach that takes into consideration the ethno-cultural and historical ties and challenges of the region.

The Approach of Traditional and Modern Fish Farmers under the Background of Socioeconomic Attributes for Sustainable Fish Production in Nigeria

The study was conducted in Baga Fishing Community of Lake Chad Basin area of Kukawa Local Government Area, Borno North, Jere and Konduga Local Government Area Borno Central in Borno State of Nigeria. The study focused on the approach of traditional and modern fish farmers under the background of socioeconomic attributes for sustainable fish production in Nigeria. Data for the study was collected within the period of thirty-one (31) days from 14th March, to 13th April 2022. Both primary and secondary sources of data were employed, primarily qualitative method of data collection was employed. The study revealed that traditional fish farmers engage in fulltime and part-time fish farming and other agricultural activities unlike the modern fish farmers that engage in fish farming on part-time basis, although both the traditional and the modern fish farmers earns monthly income of more than forty thousand (N40,000) naira. Majority of the traditional fish farmers are married with no contact with extension agents. The traditional fish farmers have higher family sizes. Ninety nine percent of the traditional fish farmers have not undergone formal system of education, with very low infrastructural support and other social services unlike the modern fish farmers. Recommendations were made for the upliftment of the general wellbeing of the fish farmers in the fishing communities for sustainable fish production.

Impact of Climate Change on Food Security in Northern Nigeria

Climate change is gradually transforming the globe into a difficult zone of survival for all faunas and floras owing to the existential threat that some changes are causing in the environment. The careless and unguarded activities and detrimental practices of man created a chain of reaction of nature in the surrounding environment leading to the collapse of the green zone and global warming which are all tantamount to undesired repercussions. One of the regions heavily affected by the impacts of climate change in Nigeria, specifically Northern Nigeria. The Northern part of Nigeria is known for many centuries as an agrarian region that is producing sufficient food which sustained the region and supplies Lake Chad and other West African states with food. However, this productive trend was radically reversed owing to many factors with climate change as the prime. This study will examine analytically how climate change influences or affects food production and food security in Northern Nigeria. The study proposes to use documented sources including books, journal articles, reports, media sources, maps and charts where applicable for data collection while thematic analytical interpretations will be used for data analysis. It is anticipated that the study explored the roots of the problem uniquely in the Northern Nigerian context, how it manifests and how it is directly or indirectly linked with socioeconomic and political problems such as violence, insurgency, forced migration, ethnic and religious clashes, famine, diseases and malnourishment. The study used the discoveries and findings from the investigation to proffer alternative remedies, models and practical policy suggestions for addressing the phenomenon permanently.

Проект «Скопа в России»: основные результаты работы в 2019–2023 годах

Проект «Скопа в России»: основные результаты работы в 2019–2023 годах

Nigeria’s Sub – Regional Diplomacy: Nigeria’s role in promoting West African Institutions

The study examines Nigerian subregional diplomacy: study of Nigeria’s role in promoting West African Institutions The study focuses on Nigeria’s relations with West African institutions such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The authors consider in detail Nigeria’s national interests vis-à-vis West African institutions and Member States. To achieve the objective of the study, the authors pay particular attention to Nigeria’s bilateral relations with neighbouring States and cooperation with African institutions. The study is based on the theory of political realism, which implies constant competition among States defending their national interests. In the process of studying this problem, the authors apply institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods. The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of Nigeria’s role in the settlement of border and territorial disputes, which enabled the state to interact and cooperate with its neighbours, the importance of Nigeria’s contribution to the peacekeeping of the region, Identifying the stability of Nigeria’s foreign policy towards both Africa as a whole and neighbouring States, analysing the main problems of the West African region, which is the basis of Nigeria’s subregional diplomacy: insecurity, political instability and economic imbalance. Moreover, the authors provide critical analysis of Nigeria’s institutional cooperation. The relevance of the study is due to the growing political and economic influence of Nigeria on the African continent.

Policy initiatives in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin

The territories in the Lake Chad Basin are experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. In the region, the effects of climate change, economic and political marginalization, and the impact of terrorist groups' actions converge negatively. All this has given rise to an environment characterized by high levels of instability and violence, the effects of which have a negative influence on the development of the countries involved. This research identifies the main factors that determine the existence of this crisis, in addition to describing, in a succinct manner, its most evident manifestations. In addition, it evaluates, from a multidimensional approach, the political initiatives carried out to face it. In this sense, the isolated, insufficient and uncoordinated nature of the actions taken so far, both by regional and international actors, is noted

Mapping water sources and access to drinking water in the Lake Chad region of Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

people's access to quality water resources significantly improves their health. In Cameroon, access to drinking water is still limited and unequally distributed over the national territory with alarming figures in the northern part of the country. This study aimed to assess the distribution of water points and characterise water storage and treatment practices in households of the Lake Chad region of Cameroon. we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study in Goulfey, Mada, and Makary health districts of the Far North Region of Cameroon from December 2013 to February 2014. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire to assess household water behaviour and an observational grid for the characterisation of water points. we identified a total of 303 water points, out of which 288 were assessed. Of these, 29.5% (85/288) were non-functional with functional failure observed as the main reason (47.6%). Of the 531 households reached, 527 (99.2%) were interviewed. Most households (70.2%) used boreholes as their main water source and only 3% of households used lakes as drinking water. The majority of households (90.4%) used clay pots for water storage within their homes. Buckets with covers are used in 21 (4.0%) while only 1 (0.2%) household used buckets without covers. Only 138 (26.2%) households treat their water and the main treatment method used is chlorination (89.1%). this study provides further evidence that access to safe water remains a real problem in the Lake Chad Basin. Therefore, interventions are needed to address the problem, but further studies are needed to strengthen its implementation.

Emergence and Trend of Displaced Persons within the Context of Trans-Border Insecurity in the Far North Region of Cameroon

Trans-border insecurity remains a major preoccupation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and particularly in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The porous borders of states in the Lake Chad region has enhance trans-border insecurity stemming from the illicit movement of people, goods and arms leading to the displacement of persons across borders. This is the case of the Far North Region of Cameron hosting displaced persons in two of its six divisions (Mayo Sava and Mayo Tsanaga) due to the nefarious activities of Boko Haram terrorist sect. The study employed a mixed research design made up of the descriptive and quantitative designs in accordance with the stated objectives. This design permitted the collection of pertinent data from both secondary and primary sources. Secondary information was obtained from libraries, archives of institutions such as end of year reports of local NGOs and other international institutions working with displaced persons. From the libraries of ENS and National Polytechnic Maroua, information on trans-border insecurity and the management of displaced persons were obtained from text books and already defended dissertations. Results revealed that, the categories of displaced persons in area include; IDP (50%), refugees (36.4%) and returnees (13.6%). The numbers of attacks reached its peak in 2014 and Mayo Sava and Mayo Tsanaga recorded over 250 attacks. Results also show fluctuating trend of displacements between 2012 and 2022. The years 2012 to 2015 was marked by increasing wave of displaced persons with IDPs recording 77,695, out of Camp refugees 6870 and returnees 10,316. Between 2017 and 2018, there was relative calm as the number of displaced (IDPs) dropped rapidly to 21,312 persons while the number of returnees increased to 4,397. Out of Camp refugees also recorded a drop in numbers that is 32,669 people. Between 2019 and 2020, a 7.8% increase in displaced persons was witnessed in Mayo Sava while Mayo Tsanaga registered an increase of 3.9%. Between April 2019 and March 2021, the numbers of attacks increased with IDPs surging to 341,000 while returnees in 2021 also rose to 124,300 persons. Therefore, the number of attacks greatly affects displacements and response strategies must engaged local leaders.

Effect of Farmyard Manure (FYM) and Zinc Fertilizer Application on Yield Parameters of Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown on Sandy-clay Loam of Borno State, Nigeria

A Screen House experiment was carried out in University of Maiduguri to study the effects of Farmyard Manure (FYM) and Zinc fertilizer rates on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield, 1000 grain weight, total dry matter weigh and HI on Sandy Clay-loam soil with location; Latitude (11.923100 ON and 11.919042 ON) and Longitude (13.228927 OE and 13.221758 OE) of Jere Local Government Area, Borno state, Nigeria. The study was set out in CRD with 3 replications. Composite 10 kg soil was weighed into 36 pots and treatments applied. Reyna 28 wheat seed obtained from Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) Maiduguri was used for the pot experiment. Six (6) wheat seedlings were allowed to grow to maturity from each pot. The pots were kept clean from weeds. Results obtained showed improved wheat yield with 5t/ha FYM + 5ppm Zn and 10t/ha FYM + 0 ppm Zn fertilizer rates leading the best yield for wheat grain and TDMW. 1000 grain weight and harvest index were also significantly increased with FYM and Zn fertilizer application. It was concluded that application of FYM and Zn fertilizer had increased wheat grain and TDMW yield as well as 1000 grain weight and harvest index.

Insecurity and Anxiety in Northeast Nigeria and Boko Haram Agenda Conspiracy Theories: Lake Chad Basin’s Oil and Water Polemics

In Nigeria and other nations with their territory being part of the Lake Chad Basin, anxiety is high and growing because Boko Haram’s “strident messages exacerbate intra-Muslim tensions and worsen Muslim-Christian relations in the region” (Thurston 2016: 5). In addition, because the agenda of Boko Haram appear jumbled and its sponsors indistinct, curiosity has led to the conceptualization of theories aimed at providing illumination. The study interpretively discusses how insecurity and anxieties in northeast Nigeria resulting from Boko Haram’s insurgency propel the articulation of several conspiracy theories explaining Boko Haram’s emergence, evolution and agenda, and the areas where lack of consensus subsists. The study classifies the theories into three categories, namely, the Freedom Fighter and Soldiers of Faith, Proxy Political Tool, and Islamic Caliphate Quest theories, and examines their suppositions and arguments to highlight the degree of plausibility. Substantially, the study expands the ‘Islamic Caliphate Quest’ theory to include the place of ‘oil’ and ‘water’ as likely variables that illuminate other trajectories.

Rethinking the Lake Chad, Herder-Farmer Conflicts and Food Security in Nigeria

Rethinking the Lake Chad, Herder-Farmer Conflicts and Food Security in Nigeria