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Title of Journal: Reg Environ Change

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Abbravation: Regional Environmental Change

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Springer-Verlag

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10.1007/s00330-008-0902-4

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1436-378X

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Fluctuations in the size of Lake Chad consequence

Authors: Anne Luxereau Pierre Genthon JeanMarie Ambouta Karimou
Publish Date: 2011/11/20
Volume: 12, Issue: 3, Pages: 507-521
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Abstract

Recent level changes in Lake Chad are associated with large area changes because the lakebed is almost flat They have deeply impacted the lifestyle of local populations The Mober are the main ethnic group living in the surroundings of Bosso in eastern Niger near the Yobe River and in Lake Chad They were initially herders and farmers who developed floodretreat farming and sophisticated irrigation systems But their main activity during high Lake levels was fishing it provided food as well as substantial incomes thanks to the export of smoked and dried fish Since 1973 Lake Chad has shrunk mainly because of the decrease in rainfall in its southern hydrological basin on the border between Chad and the Republic of Central Africa On the border between Niger and Nigeria the Yobe River discharge was more stable but it provided a minor input to the Lake Large areas with rich soils termed here as polders by analogy with those of the Bol region in Chad became available and allowed maize cowpeas sorghum and vegetables farming without irrigation or fertilizer This system is governed by the “bulama” chiefs of the villages and of the land that is still abundant However without any return of the Lake on the polders there is a serious risk of soil exhaustion Sweet pepper farming has been developed on the sandy Yobe borders since 1960 partly thanks to the local farmers’ ancient knowledge of irrigation techniques It requires an investment of capital to buy fertilizers pesticides and gasoline for the motor pumps This farming system may not only provide high incomes but it also promotes inequality between men and women on the one hand and on the other hand between poor farmers who must borrow money and who have to sell their harvest immediately and those who are able to store their products and wait for the best prices The Mober of Bosso were able to adapt to rapid changes in the level of the Lake firstly without public intervention due to their longlasting pluriactivity However their ability to cope with stronger changes induced either by climate or by large projects aiming at restoring high Lake Chad levels should be carefully monitoredThis study was funded by the INSU/EC2CO Repas program IRD PSP Lac Tchad as well as by the two ANR programs Biodivalloc and Plantadiv Appreciation is also expressed to the Directorate of Water Resources in Diffa for its help during our field missions and for allowing access to their data J Lemoalle is thanked for providing data from the Bol station F Delclaux for providing composite rainfall data and US Geological Survey for providing original Landsat falsecolor images M T RoselloSalomon is thanked for her precious help in last translation Comments from Jacques Lemoalle and from the two anonymous reviewers were highly valuable

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