Lake Chad – West Africa
Oladosuʼs is a passionate campaigner for Lake Chad, which is located in the Sahelian zone of west-central Africa on the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. It is situated in an interior basin formerly occupied by a much larger ancient sea that is sometimes called Mega-Chad. Historically, Lake Chad has ranked among the largest lakes in Africa, though its surface area varies greatly by season, as well as from year to year.
The hydrologic contributions and biological diversity of Lake Chad are important regional assets. The region is noteworthy for important archaeological discoveries, its role in trans-Saharan trade, and its association with historic African kingdoms. The effects of climate change have severely impacted Lake Chad as an increase in the population and unplanned irrigation has shrunk the lake by 90% since the 1960s. Its basin has been a water source for between 20 million and 30 million people, but with the desert encroaching further every year, it is getting increasingly difficult for families to make a living through agriculture, fishing and livestock farming.