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The UN said it had taken measures, in collaboration with its partners, to prevent further contraction of Lake Chad, mainly because of the effects of climate change and other human activities. .
Tens of thousands of drought-resistant trees have been planted with UN aid in the Lake Chad region to restore plant cover around the lake, the UN Program announced for development (UNDP).
According to the UN Development Agency, this measure would help farmers adapt to climate change and support women's economic initiatives.
Lake Chad – which from Chad to Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger – originally developed, has lost 90% of its surface area largely due to unsustainable water management and development. climate change.
UNDP has stated that it helps to curb the advance of the Sahara Desert and create the conditions for local people to practice agriculture sustainably, to increase the availability of products. and carry out income-generating activities.
Just over 200 kilometers north of the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, Lake Chad is one of the oldest lakes in Africa.
It supports nearly 30 million people living along its coasts in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, but also in other neighboring countries.
However, the lake, which extended as far as the eye could see, has been in decline for 50 years and most of the time it is covered with sand.
UNDP said: "Since the early 1970s, the lake has lost 90% of its original area due to unsustainable water and climate change management.
"The basin itself has grown from 25,000 square kilometers to 2,000 square kilometers.
"Everywhere, the consequences of climate change are clearly visible: cattle carcasses on the roads, dusty skies, sand dunes and dry polders testify to the impact of successive droughts and the proximity of the Sahara Desert.
"In addition, the shallow waters of the lake, with a maximum depth of seven meters, make it dependent on seasonal rains and very sensitive to evaporation.
"Human pressure also contributes to the fragility of this unique ecosystem.
"The Boko Haram uprising in northeastern Nigeria and neighboring countries has displaced more than two million people and resulted in the massive destruction of basic infrastructure, such as roads, medical centers and schools, as well as housing and farms ".
Food security has deteriorated, with more than seven million people at risk of starvation and half a million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
It is estimated that by 2020, the number of people dependent on the lake and its resources would reach 35 million.
UNDP indicated that, together with its partners, it has carried out development projects focused on natural resource management and the rehabilitation of Lake Chad ecosystems.
The UN Development Agency said: "Reforestation is one of the solutions supported by France, as part of the commitments made at the Conference of the Parties (COP) climate conferences 21 and COP 22.
"Then, the Ministry of Ecology signed a $ 1 million partnership agreement with UNDP to restore vegetation cover around the lake, support women's economic initiatives and help adapt agricultural practices to change." climate ".
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