#Lake Chad Basin

[segsabase]

Analysis of An Absence of Governance & Multilateral Cooperation in Combating Environmental Degradation

– A Review of the Lake Chad Basin Development (LCBDC) & The Nile River Basin (NRB) Countries – Olusegun Ehinfun, MBA PhD. Candidate and Paul R. Sachs, PhD, MBA Summary: Balancing national interest, regional collaboration and economic sustainability will be even more important in a world where climate change affects the distribution of key resources such as water. Leaders must be proactive in…

[loadsofplaces]

Chad

General Information Chad is a country in Africa. The region has been inhabited since at least the Neolithic era. During medieval and early modern times, the Kanem-Bornu Empire was the most important state of the region. In 1910, Chad became part of French Equatorial Africa. In the mid 20th century, Chad increasingly gained autonomy, with full independence in 1960. The country has been troubled by conflict, with several outbreaks of civil war and militant violence. Chad is a multiethnic country, with over 100 different languages spoken. The official languages are Arabic and French, the largest ethnic group are the Sara people, making up over one quarter of the population. Both Islam and Christianity have a large following in Chad (Islam dominating in the North, Christianity in the South), slightly more than half of the 18 Million inhabitants are Muslim. The capital is N’Djamena.

The Gerewol Festival The Wodaabe tribe, a nomadic tribe living mostly in Niger and Chad, is famous for its Gerewol festival. The men of the tribe get dressed up and dance while showing off their teeth to compete for being chosen as the most beautiful by a jury of unmarried women of the tribe.

~ Anastasia

Lake Chad Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Central Africa, which has varied in size over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank by as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998. The lowest area was in 1986, at 279 km2, but "the 2007 (satellite) image shows significant improvement over previous years." Lake Chad is economically important, providing 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.

Economy The economy of Chad suffers from the landlocked country's geographic remoteness, drought, lack of infrastructure, and political turmoil. About 85% of the population depends on agriculture, including the herding of livestock. Of Africa's Francophone countries, Chad benefited least from the 50% devaluation of their currencies in January 1994. Financial aid from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and other sources is directed largely at the improvement of agriculture, especially livestock production. Because of lack of financing, the development of oil fields near Doba, originally due to finish in 2000, was delayed until 2003. It was finally developed and is now operated by ExxonMobil. In terms of gross domestic product, Chad ranks 143rd globally with $11.051 billion dollars as of 2018.

~ Damian 

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/place/Chad https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2016/10/chad-african-beauty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Chad https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chad

[chitalalopis]

Auchenoglanis biscutatus - Want the amazing look of Auchenoglanis without the tank busting tendencies of this genus? Look no further than the ‘Yellow Giraffe Catfish’.

This fish has done me well for a few years now and has been a pleasure to own. Overall it is quite shy and has grown somewhat slowly.

They have a habit of fighting with other catfish over territory but are decently laid back otherwise.

Diet consists primarily of worms and other plant matter/detritus. I’ve found sliced bananas and repashy to be personal favorites of mine!

In nature, it is the smallest growing Auchenoglanis, maxing at around 21”. They are decently widespread in Northern Africa hailing from the Nile, Niger, Senegal, and Lake Chad basins.

Want to read more?

The image attached is of my beautiful cat sitting behind a flowerpot!

Photo cred: me

[association-of-freed-people]

Prior to the distractions of gender identity and racial bullshit progs would have cared about this. Now it won’t register at all in the chattering political class.

[fishfolkart]

Perch is the English common name in Ghana and its classification name is Distichodus engycephalus. It is native from Senegal to Cameroon, in the Lake Chad basin and the Nile River, in Africa. It prefers flowing water over rocky bottoms and feeds on vegetation and periphyton. It can reach a maximum length of 40 cm (about 16 inches and a maximum published weight of 1.5 kg (about 3.3 pounds). https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/152596257

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from National Geographic:

These days, the village of Karauzyak in western Uzbekistan is a dusty place. Surrounded by an arid landscape of dry scrub grasses and salt-crusted soils, it’s hard to believe the village was once along the banks of a swollen river, 30 miles from the shore of the world’s fourth-largest lake. Over the last 50 years, that lake, the Aral Sea, has dried up almost entirely, in what is often called the “world’s worst environmental disaster.” Now, it’s hard to farm much of anything in Karauzyak—except for atriplex, or saltbush. 

In a 3.5-hectare plot of land near the village, a team of Japanese researchers is growing this salt-loving plant, known scientifically as a halophyte, to see if it can be a viable crop for farmers in the region and even nurture a small dairy industry. They’ve fed it to cows at a nearby farm and found that it helps lock scarce moisture into the thirsty soil, and it can be grown without extensive fertilizer use.

As she holds up a dusty green twig of atriplex, Kristina Toderich, a halophyte expert from Tottori University in Japan, explains why the salt-loving plant excites scientists like her: “This doesn’t need water. It doesn’t need anything.”

Toderich is one of the lead researchers on a project using the former seabed and nearby river delta as a living laboratory. It’s part of a larger Japanese foreign aid and scientific collaboration initiative called SATREPS. Working with Uzbekistan’s hydrometeorological service, UZGIP, the researchers are collecting real-time climate data and satellite imagery to better understand the conditions in the Aral Sea area: how much water is left, how fast it’s disappearing, and what kind of crops are being farmed there.

Based on the results, they’re drafting a model for sustainable agriculture in the region, recommending that farmers adopt new irrigation methods and plant crops that are more salt- and drought-tolerant, says Kenji Tanaka, a hydrologist who studies the effects of climate change on water resources and the head of the SATREPS project.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification has warned that an area of land the size of Central Asia has become degraded from drought, salinization, and overuse since 2015. By learning what can grow in the Aral Sea, SATREPS could provide solutions for other parts of the world that are facing similar problems, from the Lake Chad basin in Western Africa to the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

It's unclear whether the Uzbeki government will adopt the recommendations made by the SATREPS team. But so far, the country seems open to change; President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who promised to loosen the rigid Soviet-era policies of his predecessor, Islam Karimov, ended the requirement that all Uzbek citizens pick cotton if called upon, and has spoken at the United Nations about the effects of desertification and land degradation on his country.

Climate change makes these adaptations even more urgent. Average temperatures in the Aral basin have increased by around 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1968. And the shrinking of the Aral Sea itself has affected the climate; as the water disappeared, the air became drier and lost the cooling effect of the nearby lake, creating a feedback loop that resulted in hotter and drier weather. Sandstorms now spread dust and toxic heavy metals to nearby villages, while retreating water has caused a build-up of salts in the soil.

Tanaka’s project has several components. Aside from atriplex, SATREPS researchers are planting crops like sorghum, mung bean, and amaranth in test plots to learn which can best survive in dry, saline soil. So far, they’ve developed promising varieties of winter wheat and barley.

[jatuskicommunications]

Six More Boko Haram Terrorists Surrender Amid MNJTF'S Lake Chad Basin Operations

By; KATO P. LADAN, Kaduna  As the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) progresses with Operation Lake Sanity 2, Boko Haram hideouts in the Lake Chad Region, spanning Cameroon and Nigeria, are seeing an increase in surrenders. Recently, 6 additional terrorists have surrender, laying down their arms from 17 to 27 April 2024. This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Military Public…

[saynaija]

Six More Boko Haram Terrorists Surrender Amid MNJTF’s Lake Chad Basin Operations

[gidd-blog1]

JUST IN: Boko Haram and ISWAP rivalry escalates as clashes claim over 100 fighters

Fierce rivalry clashes between Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terror groups escalated in the Lake Chad Basin over the last week have claimed over 100 of the fighters of both groups.  Zagazola reports that from April 18 to April 24, the clashes between Boko Haram factions and ISWAP flared up across the riverine islands of the Tumbums, with the ISWAP gaining more…

[aquariuminfobureau]

The singular but magnificent Gymnarchus

Gymnarchus niloticus, the aba, is a magnificent, tankbusting bonytongue fish with an African distribution. It is recorded from the basins of the Nile, Senegal, Gambia, Volta, Niger and Chad, for which reason peer reviewed literature has claimed it's pH tolerances, are 6.5 to 8.0. However the species is also collected from the shallows of the alkaline Lake Turkana, suggesting a still wider ability to flourish, where the pH is at least 8.6. There the surface temperature of the shallows, gets as high as 27 to 29 degrees centigrade. Gymnarchus grows to almost 170 centimeters, or 68 inches long, and the weight record is 18.5 kilos. Such a large and spectacular fish is suited only to the largest home aquaria, or to heated, indoor ponds. Phonetically speaking, it's closest relatives are the African radiation of fishes, called mormyrids. With these the and shares remarkable electrosensory abilities, but the kinship is by now distant. There is only one species in the genus Gymnarchus. The aba is such an unusual looking animal, that it is difficult to mistake it for any other species within its wide geographical range.

The aba is an air breathing fish dwelling in marginal vegetation and swamps. There the pair bonding fish constructs its nests, which may be about 100 centimetres in diameter, during the season of the innundation. It's diet is mobile prey and primarily other, smaller fishes, but also arthropods and annelids. Juveniles begin as insectivorous, as you might expect, before maturing with size and age, into the adult, carnivorous niche. These prey it locates just as it navigates, relying on a good 'sixth sense' of electroception, an ability shared with its mormyrid relatives. Gymnarchus generates electrical fields using a large organ that runs along most of its length, and this ability is so useful, that the fish can swim backwards as easily as it swims ahead, sending objects as disturbances to its own self-generated electrical field. The unusual mode of swimming employed by this fish is like the Old and New World kbifefishes, but involves the graceful undulation of its dorsal fin, rather than an anal fin. It has completely lost the paired fins of its hypothetical ancestors.

In the aquarium, Gymnarchus eats defrosted and fresh foods with gusto. It is vigorous in defence of its nest, and intolerant of its species excepting their pair bonding tendency. The aggressive nature is frequently turned on fish of even dissimilar appearance and habits. All in all, this fish is not only a tankbuster, but highly problematic to house with its own and other species.The aquarium should be well planted, to reflect its lurking habits in shallow, richly vegetated freshwaters. The pH and hardness of the water, should be about neutral to somewhat hard and alkaline. Because shallow water fishes inhabit the warmest strata of the water column, the water temperature should be at the warm end of the tropical tank temperature spectrum, but not as high as 30 degrees centigrade. Finally, an air space should exist between the water surface, and any solid lid that is overhead. This is because Gymnarchus, like many other swamp fishes, is an obligate air breather.

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade Four Boko Haram terrorists neutralised by Troops, AK-47 riffles and other weapons retrieved The troops of Sector 3, Multi-Naltional Joint Task Force(MNJTF), said it had neutralised four Boko Haram terrorists in Malam Fatori in northern part of Borno State. Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, Chief Military Public Information Officer of MNJTF, who disclosed this in a statement released in Maiduguri on Friday, said the terrorists were neutrialised in Walo (Gashigar) and Kudagurgu villages. Abdullahi said that during troops’ advance to Gashigar to clear remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, two terrorists were encountered and neutralised at Walo Walada. He explained that the operation resulted in the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and 29 rounds of 7.62-millimeter special ammunition. “Similarly, troops deployed in Malam Fatori, conducted a fighting patrol to Kudagurgu, where two other terrorists were neutralised, and a significant cache of items, including IED making materials, one AK-47 rifle, and three magazines, were recovered. “These successful operations reflect the commitment and bravery of the Sector 3 MNJTF troops in their effort to totally defeat terrorism and create a peaceful environment in the Lake Chad Basin region. “The recovery of lethal weapons and other terrorism materials demonstrates the dedication and effectiveness of the troops in ensuring the safety and security of the region. “The MNJTF remains resolute in its commitment to achieve its mandate,”he said.(NAN)

[fishfolkart]

Globe Fish - is a member of the Puffers and Filefishes family and is also known as the Nile puffer, Fahaka pufferfish. It is native to the Nile, Chad , Senegal, Gambia, Geba, Volta River basins and in Lake Turkana in Kenya, Africa. Found in large rivers, open water, weed beds and vegetated fringes and it feeds on mollusks. It can reach a maximum length of 43.0 cm (17 inches) and a maximum published weight of 1.0 kg (2.2 pounds). All profits from sale will be given to the Lighthouse Mission to assist the homeless. https://www.redbubble.com/people/fishfolkart/works/143353452-globe-fish?asc=u

[thxnews]

Minister Sajjan Stands Firm in Support of Africa's Progression

  The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada concluded visits to Ethiopia, Egypt, and Chad. Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West, Ontario, accompanied the Minister on this visit. While there, they had discussions on the impacts of climate change, conflicts, and regional instability on food security and saw the positive impact that women have on food systems.  

Minister Harjit Sajjan at NATO in Belgium. Photo by Jim Mattis. Wikimedia.   Minister Sajjan also announced $140 million in funding for development projects in Africa and $39.8 million in humanitarian assistance funding for Sahel and Lake Chad Basin countries.  

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Minister Sajjan and MP Kayabaga met with Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to sign a letter of intent to establish a Canada-African Union Commission Development Policy Dialogue and discuss areas for collaboration. The Minister also met with representatives of the Government of Ethiopia to discuss progress on peace, recovery, and economic reform, convey expectations with regard to an inclusive and accountable approach to the delivery of aid, and engage with interlocutors about the situation in Sudan and its regional implications.   Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada said: “Today’s confluence of crises has set back progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals across Africa and increased the vulnerability of the continent’s least-developed countries. Canada remains committed to working in partnership with key continental organizations, like the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank Group, to respond to these challenges and to support efforts to promote green and inclusive growth and resilience in Africa.”  

Egypt

In Egypt, Minister Sajjan attended the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group Annual Meetings where, in his role as an AfDB governor, he delivered Canada’s statement. In his address to the AfDB governors, the Minister reiterated the importance of partnerships and an inclusive dialogue to tackle global challenges such as climate change and to advance national development objectives. Minister Sajjan met with AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina to discuss shared priorities of climate action, food security, and gender equality.   Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West, Ontario said: “Our visit was an opportunity to strengthen Canada’s relations with African partners, including the African Union Commission and the African Development Bank Group." "We also met with government officials, organizations, and community members to share ideas, challenges, and opportunities to work together.”  

Chad

In Chad, Minister Sajjan met with Chad’s transitional president, Mahatmat Idriss Déby Itno, and other representatives of the Government to discuss the impact of the Sudanese crisis on Chad and regional stability. Minister Sajjan expressed his appreciation for Chad’s significant contributions to peacekeeping in Africa and he noted the need for an inclusive democratic process and respect for civil society and human rights. He also used the opportunity to discuss the need for an inclusive democratic process and a range of development issues, including the potential of climate-smart agriculture to build resilient and adaptable food production systems and help address the effects of climate change and improve food security in Africa. Minister Sajjan and MP Kayabaga also met with Canadian partners to learn about their ongoing humanitarian and development work in Chad, including how they are responding to the needs of local vulnerable communities that are welcoming an influx of refugees fleeing the crisis in Sudan. Minister Sajjan announced Canada’s new Sahel Regional Development Program, which complements existing bilateral, multilateral, and multi-country programming.   Sources: THX News & Global Affairs Canada. Read the full article

[hardynwa]

ISWAP to use drones, advanced tech for attacks

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) could be close to using delivery drones for attacks in the Lake Chad Basin. Weaponising and adapting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is a new trend in the group’s operational strategy, and could worsen the conflict. Institute for Security Studies (ISS) research shows that ISWAP is already trialling delivery drones to carry improvised explosive devices. This includes assessing the weight that can be carried, how far they can go and how long they stay in the air. The threat goes beyond military targets and may impact humanitarian service delivery. Ongoing operations by Nigeria’s military and clashes with Boko Haram faction, Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS), have inflicted heavy losses on ISWAP and significantly reduced its space to operate. And successful intelligence-driven strikes resulting in arrests of ISWAP members outside the North-east are preventing the group from expanding. These setbacks may be forcing ISWAP to adapt its strategy, as it has done before. So far, ISWAP’s use of drones has been limited to propaganda, surveillance and communication. ISS research, including analysis of publicly available propaganda materials and interviews with former combatants and associates, reveals an elaborate use of communication technology (see Chart 1). This includes satellite and android phones, drones, social media (Telegram and WhatsApp), high-speed printers, laptops, high-definition digital cameras, Wi-Fi, clip-on microphones, walkie-talkies, and data compression and archiving software. All these tools are used by the media team headed by Abba Yusuf (Abu Rumaisa), son of late Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf. The team’s primary function is to showcase ISWAP as a successful jihadist group. That propaganda will encourage recruitment and present a positive image that cements its position as the top Islamic State affiliate globally. The media department also handles relations with other violent extremist groups, including Islamic State. Former ISWAP members, including from the media unit, told ISS how the department functions. Staff are recruited from within the group and taught the basics of operating the equipment, mostly cameras. They accompany fighters and wait at a distance to be invited to take photos and videos, usually when things go ISWAP’s way. The raw footage and pictures are sent to Islamic State, which produces the propaganda material. The group shares the content with ISWAP’s media team, which distributes it through a private and members-only Telegram account, Nashir News Agency (see Chart 2). ISWAP relies heavily on high-speed satellite internet to communicate with Islamic State and other groups. Sources told ISS that ISWAP used Thuraya Wi-Fi and spent about $6,000 monthly on data. They said Lagos was the main supply source but that ISWAP encountered a problem with the supply, forcing it to switch to Chad. Although Thuraya satellite phones and internet services are illegal in Chad, they are used in secret. A particular Thuraya model stands out as a possible device used by ISWAP. It is available in Nigeria but mainly in Lagos. The Thuraya XT-Hotspot is marketed as the ‘world’s fastest Wi-Fi via satellite for communication needs beyond GSM coverage … for quick and secure Internet connectivity in the remotest of locations.’ The sources claim ISWAP has dedicated vehicles fitted with internet services to facilitate communication and data sharing on the go. The media team uses one of these vehicles when it accompanies fighters, enabling them to immediately share material from the battlefield. This explains how ISWAP can release information quickly, including images and videos, sometimes within hours of attacks. ISWAP’s public communication also suggests it can easily share data with Islamic State using data compression and archiving software. In addition to speed and encryption, the software reduces bandwidth costs. There is no single way to deal with the problem of ISWAP’s use of technology. The solution lies in various measures working together. ISS research has detailed how ISWAP exploited Lake Chad Basin trade routes to get vital supplies. The group’s remote location should be an advantage for security forces who could disrupt its supply lines. Checkpoint searches have proved successful and can be used again. Those bringing in equipment and accessories should explain their destinations, which security agents should verify. Collaboration among security forces in the four affected Lake Chad Basin countries can help. The ISS report also showed how civilian and military collaborators helped ISWAP get supplies. Security force leaders in the region must hold their personnel to the highest standards and use an independent ombudsman to deter corruption. To prevent civilians from collaborating with terror groups, authorities should work with communities and trade unions to identify and disrupt networks helping ISWAP. The criminal justice system can also play a deterrent role. A future concern is that violent extremist groups like ISWAP become involved in cybercrime. Given Nigeria’s enormous financial powers and growing tech industry, authorities should prepare for this. Investing in technology and collaborating with tech companies to prevent their products, platforms or services from falling into ISWAP’s hands is a start. Going after ISWAP’s money is vital. The group should be forced out of its current location using targeted and joint military operations. This would cut ISWAP’s access to its major revenue base. In using these tactics, care should be taken to avoid adversely affecting civilians, either by destroying their livelihoods or inflicting human rights violations. Curtailing ISWAP’s access to technology will prevent it from using tech to plan and execute attacks, spread propaganda and recruit. That will reduce the damage the group inflicts on civilians and aid workers in the Lake Chad Basin. Read the full article

[jatuskicommunications]

Youth Group Gives Lake Chad Executive Secretary 72-hrs To Resign

By KATO P. LADAN, Kaduna  Unified Nigerian Youth Forum, (UNYF) has given the Executive Secretary (ES), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, 72-hrs ultimatum to resign and allow proper investigation against him otherwise, they will not hesitate to mobilize millions of youth for protest in Abuja. The Deputy National President, UNYF Comr. Salisu Yahaya who made the call in…

[biglisbonnews]

Nigeria: IRC calls on international community not to forget Lake Chad Basin as pledging conference begins Countries: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria Source: International Rescue Committee "Over 11 million people in the Basin region alone need humanitarian assistance; over five million people are severely food insecure – the highest figure in four years," said President David Miliband. https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/irc-calls-international-community-not-forget-lake-chad-basin-leaders-convene-pledging-conference