Seasonal Migration and Settlement around Lake Chad: Strategies for Control of Resources in an Increasingly Drying Lake

Abstract

Abstract:The Lake Chad Basin has for a very long period supported the livelihoods of millions of peoples from the different countries that share this transboundary water resource. Its shrinking over the decades has meant that many of those who depend on it for livelihoods would have to adjust to the changing resource environment of this lake basin. This study sets out to examine the seasonal migration of people in search of water, pasture, fuelwood and cultivable land, and how this movement affects access and use of basin resources. The study made use of survey data obtained from 220 household heads on the Cameroon side of the Lake Chad basin, and secondary data from Cameroon ministries in charge of agriculture, the environment, and that of livestock. Our findings show that while fishing and livestock rearing continue to feature among the oldest determinants of population movements in the Lake Chad basin, increasingly the search for new farming opportunities made available by a shrinking lake and the political instability emanating from Nigeria are also becoming an important determinant. The increasing population in the lake region is compounding pressures created by a shrinking lake on access to water, fuelwood, pasture, and farmland. While there is potential to develop and benefit from the agricultural possibilities emerging from a shrinking lake, the impacts of poor agricultural resource management (especially land degradation, loss of agricultural biodiversity, and poor water management) may hamper the sustainable practice of agriculture if proper efforts are not made to address them. This study contributes to the scientific understanding of the changing nature of environmental resources in Africa. It specifically contributes to understanding the exacerbating threats to the sustainability of natural resources (water, agricultural and grazing land) caused by environmental changes, diversification of rural actors (fishers, farmers, breeders), weak resource management, and since 2013, by an armed conflict.

Analysis of causes of decreasing inflow to the Lake Chad due to climate variability and human activities

“…In case of PP, negative changes were perceived in all decades in the CLRB, indicating decrease in PP with respect to the baseline period. The highest decrease (45%) in PP was detected during 1982-1991, because worst drought was occurred in the 1980s, reported by different studies (Gao et al, 2011;Hansen and Przyborski, 2017;Zieba et al, 2017;Uche et al, 2015).…”

Water in war: Understanding the impacts of armed conflict on water resources and their management

“…Political instability and a lack of state authority in one country can also create uncertainty regarding the availability of shared water resources in downstream countries, as shown by Mason and Khawlie (2016) for the case of the Hasbani basin which is primarily located in southern Lebanon, a region that has struggled with the presence of Hezbollah militants for decades. Similarly, the presence of Boko Haram in Nigeria adds uncertainty to the governance of the Lake Chad basin, which is shared by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria, and has already been the site of local conflicts over control and access to resources among nationals of the different countries (Zieba et al, 2017). The emergence of a strong non-state actor that takes control over water resources introduces a new dimension to transboundary water negotiations, as such non-state actors do not abide by formal agreements between states.…”

Insecurity, Resource Scarcity, and Migration to Camps of Internally Displaced Persons in Northeast Nigeria

“…It was found by Zieba et al [44] that seasonal migration into the Lake Chad area and the pressure caused on its resources have contributed to increasing reliance on resources of the Lake Chad basin for the livelihoods of people affected by the pressure. Furthermore, [44] argued that the waters, wetlands, and fish of the basin offered potentials for populations to exploit through activities such as fishing, cattle rearing, crafts, and a range of supporting services. Changes in natural, socioeconomic, demographic, or political systems often result in tipping points in stocks of ecosystem services.…”