A region suffering from lack of crop irrigation

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The security crisis that has been raging in the Lake Chad region for the past 10 years has profoundly altered the distribution of the population and precipitated changes that were already underway in the Sahelian zone[1]. Thus, population movements from the island zone of the lake, which is prey to attacks by Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs), to less humid and less fertile areas, have resulted in a high level of exploitation of natural resources by the host and displaced populations in search of means of subsistence.

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This also leads to unexpected developments, such as the climatic modification of wetlands, where anthropogenic pressure[2] has dropped considerably. These areas are also being taken over by armed groups: they are taxing access to natural resources.

Victims of these disasters, the populations are the first to be affected and access to water remains a major concern, both for agroforestry production and for human consumption. In fact, in the area, waterborne diseases are among the leading causes of mortality in children under 5 years of age.

Problems of access to water also lead to high food insecurity, due to low agricultural production (high dependence on rainfall) and low household incomes in the area, which are essentially derived from the sale of agricultural surpluses.

Despite this, the RESILAC project has conducted several studies, tests and trainings on the potential for introducing innovative agricultural practices adapted to climate change in Chad, in the Nguélea 1 and 2, Bol and Ngarangou cantons of the Lac Province[3].

In this region, which is mainly inhabited by agricultural and agro-pastoral households, agricultural production activities are faced with constraints such as  :

• Poor access to good quality agricultural inputs;

•  Poor access to agricultural innovations;

•  Lack of technical support to better control the effects of pests, weeds and diseases on production;

•  The absence of regulations governing the roaming of animals in agricultural production areas;

•  The continuous silting up of polders[4], due to excessive wind and the lack of biological protection of the polders.

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In order to better respond to the needs of the populations benefiting from the activities to improve their production, a study on innovative endogenous[5] and exogenous practices was conducted by RESILAC.

The results of the study have allowed us to better understand the existing practices, as well as their limitations, and to propose appropriate solutions. It is in this sense that experimental sites, to test and disseminate innovations, as well as Farmer Field Schools[6], to reinforce knowledge and cultural practices, have been implemented.