Adaptive Sustainable Livelihood Strategies for Climate Change Adaptation in the Lake Chad Region
Abstract
In the last five decades, Lake Chad has shrunk drastically because of climate-induced factors. The lake’s recession has impacted the livelihood of the people, and the region has witnessed an increase in violent conflict between extremist groups that culminated in migration and displacement. This study explored livelihood strategies in the wake of climate variability and environmental degradation. The main climatic risks to communities in these countries, which share a border with Lake Chad, are increasing minimum and maximum temperatures, high rainfall variability, and extreme droughts and floods. The study objectives are to examine sustainable livelihood in the Lake Chad region, understand sustainable livelihood approaches, vulnerabilities, and climate change, and identify an adaptive sustainable livelihood strategy in the Lake Chad region. This study adopted a qualitative method, specifically secondary data such as journals, textbooks, archival materials, and online sources, to examine livelihood strategies in the Lake Chad region. This study identified innovative adaptation practices by the communities in the region that promote sustainable livelihoods. The paper is anchored on its analysis using the sustainable livelihoods approach and DFID framework to establish the relationship between vulnerability and adaptation to sustain livelihoods in the Lake Chad region. This paper argued that despite the implementation of local adaptation strategies, medium- and long-term livelihood sustainability and Agenda 2030 are unrealistic in the wake of the continuing threat of climate change. The results of this study contribute to a more nuanced understanding of survival strategies in Lake Chad.
Keywords: Climate change, Livelihood, Sustainability, Lake Chad.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
ADEDEJI, O., REUBEN, O., & OLATOYE, O. (2014). Global Climate Change. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 2(2), 114–122. https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2014.22016
AMALI, A.A., BALA, M.S., & ADENIJI, F.A. (2016). Dying Lake Chad: adaptive strategies to climate change and water scarcity of the Lake Chad basin. Proceedings of the Water Management in a Changing World: Role of Irrigation for Sustainable Food Production, 6-8 November 2016, Chiang Mai, pp. 1-11. Retrieved from https://www.icid.org/wif2_full_papers/wif2_w.2.2.13.pdf
APO GROUP (2019). Drying Lake Chad Basin gives rise to crisis. Retrieved from https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/drying-lake-chad-basin-gives-rise-to-crisis?lang=en
BARBIER, B., YACOUBA, H., KARAMBIRI, H., ZOROMÉ, M., & SOMÉ, B. (2009). Human Vulnerability to Climate Variability in the Sahel: Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies in Northern Burkina Faso. Environmental Management, 43(5), 790–803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9237-9
BEHRENS, A., GEORGIEV, A., & CARRARO, M. (2010). Future impacts of climate change across Europe. Centre for European Policy Studies. Retrieved from http://aei.pitt.edu/14586/1/WD_324_Behrens,_Georgiev_&_Carraro_final_updated_(1).pdf
BÉNÉ, C., NEILAND, A., JOLLEY, T., OVIE, S., SULE, O., LADU, B., MINDJIMBA, K., BELAL, E., TIOTSOP, F., BABA, M., DARA, L., ZAKARA, A., & QUENSIERE, J. (2003). Inland Fisheries, Poverty, and Rural Livelihoods in the Lake Chad Basin. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 38(1), 17–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/002190960303800102
BOKO, M., NIANG, I., NYONG, A., VOGEL, C., GITHEKO, A., MEDANY, M., OSMAN-ELASHA, B., TABO, R., & YANDA, P. (2007). Africa. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. In: PARRY, M.L., CANZIANI, O.F., PALUTIKOF, J.P., LINDEN, P.J., & HANSON, C.E. (eds.) Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 433–467. Retrieved from https://archive.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch9.html
CHIA, E.L., KANKEU, S.R., & HUBERT, D. (2019). Climate change commitments and agriculture sectoral strategies in Cameroon: Interplay and perspectives. Cogent Environmental Science, 5(1), 1625740. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311843.2019.1625740
CHIA, E.L., SOMORIN, O.A., SONWA, D.J., & TIANI, A.M. (2013). Local Vulnerability, Forest Communities and Forest-Carbon Conservation: Case of Southern Cameroon. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 5(8), 498-507.
EPULE, T., & BRYANT, C. (2016). Small Scale Farmers’ Indigenous Agricultural Adaptation Options in the Face of Declining or Stagnant Crop Yields in the Fako and Meme Divisions of Cameroon. Agriculture, 6(2), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6020022
FRIMPONG, O.B. (2020). Climate change and fragility in the Lake Chad Basin. Retrieved from https://africaupclose.wilsoncenter.org/climate-change-and-fragility-in-the-lake-chad-basin/
HAMMILL, A., LECLERC, L., MYATT-HIRVONEN, O., & SALINAS, Z. (2005). Using the sustainable livelihoods approach to reduce vulnerability to climate change. In: Tropical forests and adaptation to climate change: In search of synergies, pp. 71-96. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep02052.10
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (2007). AR4 Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar4/wg1/
KENGOUM, F., & TIANI, A.M. (2013). Adaptation and mitigation policies in Cameroon: Pathways of synergy. Center for International Forestry Research. https://doi.org/10.17528/cifor/004647
KIMMAGE, K., & ADAMS, W.M. (1992). Wetland Agricultural Production and River Basin Development in the Hadejia-Jama’are Valley, Nigeria. The Geographical Journal, 158(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.2307/3060012
LAMICHHANE, K. (2010). Sustainable livelihoods approach in assessment of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change: A study of Chhekampar VDC. Gurkha District: Kathmandu University. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/3726215/Sustainable_Livelihood_Approach_in_Climate_Change_Vulnerability_Assessment
MOLUA, E. (2006). Climatic trends in Cameroon: Implications for agricultural management. Climate Research, 30, 255–262. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr030255
MORTON, S., PENCHEON, D., & SQUIRES, N. (2017). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their implementation. British Medical Bulletin, 124, 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldx031
NCHINDA VALENTINE, P., MARCELLUS, C., IJANG, T.P., ABUBAKAR, S., & NAPOLEON, C. (2014). “In Search of Common Ground” for Farmer-Grazer Conflicts in the North West Region of Cameroon. https://doi.org/10.13140/2.1.1912.4163
NEILAND, A.E., JAFFRY, S., LADU, B.M.B., SARCH, M.T., & MADAKAN, S.P. (2000). Inland Fisheries of North East Nigeria Including the Upper River Benue, Lake Chad and the Nguru–Gashua Wetlands. Fisheries Research, 48(3), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-7836(00)00180-6
ODADA, E.O., OYEBANDE, L., & OGUNTOLA, A.J. (2005). Lake Chad: experience and lessons learned brief. Kusatsu: International Lake Environment Committee Foundation.
ONUOHA, F.C. (2008). Environmental Degradation, Livelihood and Conflicts: A Focus on the Implications of the Diminishing Water Resources of Lake Chad for North-Eastern Nigeria. African journal on conflict resolution, 8(2), 35-61. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajcr.v8i2.39425
POUNDS, J.A., & PUSCHENDORF, R. (2004). Clouded futures. Nature, 427(6970), 107–109. https://doi.org/10.1038/427107a
RAHMAN, H.M.T., & HICKEY, G.M. (2020). An Analytical Framework for Assessing Context-Specific Rural Livelihood Vulnerability. Sustainability, 12(14), 5654. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145654
SANOUSSI, A., MOHAMED, L., SEYNI, S., & DAVID, A.G. (2015). Adapting to climate variability and change in smallholder farming communities: A case study from Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 7(1), 16–27. https://doi.org/10.5897/JAERD14.0595
SARCH, M., & BIRKETT, C. (2000). Fishing and Farming at Lake Chad: Responses to Lake‐level Fluctuations. The Geographical Journal, 166(2), 156–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4959.2000.tb00015.x
SERDECZNY, O., ADAMS, S., BAARSCH, F., COUMOU, D., ROBINSON, A., HARE, W., SCHAEFFER, M., PERRETTE, M., & REINHARDT, J. (2017). Climate Change Impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa: From Physical Changes to Their Social Repercussions. Regional Environmental Change, 17(6), 1585–1600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-015-0910-2
SHANKLAND, A. (2000). Analysing policy for sustainable livelihoods. Institute of Development Studies. Retrieved from https://www.ids.ac.uk/publications/analysing-policy-for-sustainable-livelihoods/
SKAH, M., & LYAMMOURI, R. (2020). The climate change-security nexus: case study of the Lake Chad Basin. Rabat: Policy Center for the New South. Retrieved from https://www.policycenter.ma/sites/default/files/RP%20-%2020-08%20(skah%20&%20Lyamouri).pdf
STERN, N. (2006). The Economics of Climate Change — The Stern Review. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
TADESSE, D. (2010). The impact of climate change in Africa. Retrieved from https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/136704/PAPER220.pdf
TINGEM, M., & RIVINGTON, M. (2009). Adaptation for crop agriculture to climate change in Cameroon: Turning on the heat. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 14(2), 153–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-008-9156-3
TRAORE, B., VAN WIJK, M.T., DESCHEEMAEKER, K., CORBEELS, M., RUFINO, M.C., & GILLER, K.E. (2014). Evaluation of climate adaptation options for Sudano-Sahelian cropping systems. Field Crops Research, 156, 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2013.10.014
UFON, B. (2004). Farmer-grazier conflict and women’s agricultural productivity in Cameroon grasslands: Case of Wum, Menchum Division, Northwest Region. Postgraduate Diploma dissertation, University of Buea.
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (2006). National adaptation programme of action. Retrieved from https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/napa/ner01e.pdf
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (n.d.). Community based climate risks management in Chad. Retrieved from https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/community-based-climate-risks-management-chad
UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (2007). Climate Change: Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation in Developing Countries. Retrieved from https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/impacts.pdf
WRIGHT, H., KRISTJANSON, P.M., & BHATTA, G.D. (2012). Understanding adaptive capacity: Sustainable livelihoods and food security in coastal Bangladesh. Copenhagen: CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. Retrieved from https://cgspace.cgiar.org/items/3f03ba4b-f3a1-42bf-bc5b-de8f4aff8232
YENGOH, G.T., TCHUINTE, A., ARMAH, F.A., & ODOI, J.O. (2010). Impact of prolonged rainy seasons on food crop production in Cameroon. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 15(8), 825–841. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-010-9241-2
YUSUF, A.K. (2015). Groundwater resource management strategy in the Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 5(14), 56-63. Retrieved from https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JNSR/article/view/24354
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.