Lake Chad "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• One of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies, Lake Chad, has shrunk by 90 per cent.

 

 

 

Lake Chad

 

 

About:

• Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in central Africa, which has varied in size over the centuries.
• The freshwater lake is located in the Sahelian zone of West-central Africa. Lake Chad is mainly in the far west of Chad, bordering on northeastern Nigeria.
• Lake Chad provides water to more than 30 million people living in the four countries surrounding it (Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria) on the central part of the Sahel
• It is the largest lake in the Chad Basin.
• The Chari River, fed by its tributary the Logone, provides over 90% of the lake's water, with a small amount coming from the Yobe River in Nigeria/Niger.
• Despite high levels of evaporation, the lake is fresh water.

 

Why it is significant?

• For years, the lake has been supporting drinking water, irrigation, fishing, livestock and economic activity for over 30 million people in the region.
• It is vital for indigenous, pastoral and farming communities in one of the world’s poorest countries.
• However, climate change has fuelled a massive environmental and humanitarian crisis.
• The United Nations has termed the Lake Chad crisis as “one of the worst in the world”.

 

Objectives of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC)

• To manage sustainability and equability of shared water resources of Lake Chad
• To preserve the ecosystem around basin.
• To maintain regional integration, peace and security around basin.

 

Behind all crises

• The ever-changing climate has dramatically worsened the situation, amplifying food and nutritional insecurity in the region.
• Temperature is rising one-and-a-half times faster than the global average. The seasonal and inter-rainfall patterns have been drastically changing each year.
• This has triggered food insecurity, ultimately pushing communities into the arms of terrorist groups.
• Boko Haram is one of the top insurgent groups with a strong foothold in the region.

 

Organisational Structure of Lake Chad Commission (LCBC)

• The Executive Secretariat:  It is an apex organ of the commission which executes the decisions of the Summit of Heads of State and the Resolutions of the Council of Ministers. Under the authority of the Executive Secretary there are two Directorates-General which are given below:

 

1. The Directorate-General of Operations made up of three Departments

• Projects Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Water Resources and Environment
• Capacity Building, Information and Data Monitoring

 

2. The Directorate-General of Administration and Finance with two Departments:

• Finance and Equipment
• Human Resources.

The Consultative Committees: It is consists of - Donors Committee; Interministerial Committee; Committee of Stakeholders; Committee of Experts.