Consequences of the Disappearing Lake Chad
In Africa, natural resources are an essential part of survival. Whether it’s mining, fishing or agriculture, daily life often centers around the earth. This could not be truer for those who live in the Chad river basin, which lies in the heart of west Africa. This massive interconnected water system spans Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Central African Republic, and provides natural resources for 30 million people in the region.
As a result of climate change but also because of human forces, Lake Chad — a freshwater lake that lies at the center of the basin — is rapidly evaporating. It sits in the middle of the Sahel, where the dry Sahara desert meets the savannah lands, and many people in the region live off of its water. To make matters worse, the Islamic terror group Boko Haram’s brutality in northern Nigeria has bled into other countries surrounding the Chad river basin. This unpredictable conflict is pushing thousands of refugees onto lands that are already overpopulated and strained.
Hahn says that while the people of the region are resourceful, much of their livelihood comes from the shifting landscape around them. “The people who rely on the basin have a very strong connection to their environment,” she says. “They are farmers, fishermen and animal breeders whose governments, let alone the world, have forgotten about. They still somehow manage to make do with what little Mother Nature gives them.”
NASA