Applied Water Resource Management in the Lake Chad Basin with GIZ (2019-2022 Project)

Applied Water Resource Management in the Lake Chad Basin (2019–2022)

 Strengthening Transboundary Water Governance, Climate Resilience, and Livelihoods

From 2019 to 2022, the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC/CBLT) implemented the project “Applied Water Resource Management in the Lake Chad Basin”, a multi‑country initiative aimed at strengthening institutional capacity, improving transboundary water governance, and supporting climate-resilient livelihoods across one of Africa’s most fragile and strategically important ecosystems. Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the €5 million project was embedded in LCBC’s broader mandate to ensure sustainable and equitable management of the Basin’s shared water resources. [giz.de]

Context: A Basin Under Pressure

The Lake Chad Basin—shared by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, and Libya—is globally recognised for its ecological significance and socio-economic value. Yet, decades of climate change, water scarcity, land degradation, and rapid population growth have intensified competition over natural resources. These pressures have further been compounded by insecurity, forced displacement, and fluctuating hydrological conditions.

To respond effectively, LCBC requires robust data systems, strengthened technical capacity, and well-coordinated governance mechanisms that involve governments, communities, and civil society. The project directly supported LCBC in these areas while simultaneously piloting and scaling up practical climate-adaptation solutions at community level.

Project Objectives

The project pursued a central goal:
Enhance LCBC’s capacity to implement transboundary water resource management measures that integrate climate change adaptation and support sustainable agricultural production.

Three core objectives guided implementation:

1. Improve cooperation between LCBC and its member states through strengthened planning processes, enhanced advisory functions, and streamlined coordination mechanisms.
2. Operationalize a regional governance structure in the transboundary Waza–Logone/Yaéré area to identify resource-use challenges and jointly develop solutions.
3. Strengthen LCBC’s technical capacity to develop, manage, and implement measures that support sustainable agricultural production and climate change adaptation at community level.

These objectives were pursued through policy advisory support, technical training, participatory planning processes, and field-level demonstration activities.

Key Achievements (2019–2022)

1. Strengthening LCBC’s Institutional Capacity

A major achievement was the reinforcement of LCBC’s internal systems and technical competencies. The project:

• Enhanced the Lake Chad Information System (LIS)—a regional digital platform for environmental and hydrological data—improving data quality, accessibility, and use in decision-making.
• Supported the development and regular update of integrated watershed management tools, enabling LCBC and member states to coordinate transboundary interventions more effectively.
• Strengthened strategic planning, project management, and monitoring functions across LCBC departments. [giz.de]

These improvements have increased LCBC’s credibility among regional and international partners, earning recognition in follow-on initiatives such as the World Bank’s PROLAC programme.

2. Establishing Regional Governance Mechanisms

In the Waza–Logone/Yaéré wetland zone, the project facilitated the establishment of a regional coordination and dialogue platform bringing together:

• Water user associations
• Civil society actors
• Local authorities and technical agencies
• Research institutions

This platform is now an official mechanism under the LCBC Water Charter, giving local communities a voice in managing shared water resources and enabling joint identification of cross-border challenges such as flooding, grazing conflicts, fisheries management, and agricultural pressures. [giz.de]

3. Promoting Climate-Smart and Conflict-Sensitive Livelihoods

Working with local NGOs and agricultural extension services, the project scaled up Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) among farming households in the intervention zone. These included:

• Climate-smart water and soil management techniques
• Improved seeds and sustainable crop production methods
• Community-level training through farmer field schools
• Targeted support to women’s agricultural groups

More than 2,000 households adopted these practices, improving food security and helping reduce local tensions over land and water resources as competition intensified.

4. Improved Resilience and Impact on Development Goals

The project directly contributed to several Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 2 – Zero Hunger: by improving agricultural productivity and resilience.
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality: by integrating women’s groups into training and decision-making.
• SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation: by enhancing transboundary water governance structures.
• SDG 13 – Climate Action: through climate-adopted farming systems and watershed planning tools. [giz.de]

Lessons Learned

• Permanent in-country technical presence greatly enhanced LCBC’s operational effectiveness, fostering trust and improving day-to-day collaboration.
• Integrated watershed management tools—combined with the improved LIS—proved essential for evidence-based decision-making.
• Building community ownership through participatory platforms reduced conflict risks and supported long-term sustainability.
• Flexibility and adaptive management, especially during COVID‑19 disruptions, were critical to maintaining project momentum.

Sustainability and Way Forward

The project received an overall rating of “successful”, demonstrating strong institutional impact and improvements in LCBC’s technical performance. The strengthened LIS, regional governance platforms, and capacity-building outcomes now serve as foundations for continued progress.

These achievements feed directly into the follow-on programme “Applied Water Resource Management in the Lake Chad Basin – Phase II (2023–2025)”, which further expands LCBC’s role as a regional hub for climate-resilient and conflict-sensitive water governance. [cblt.org]

Conclusion

Between 2019 and 2022, the Applied Water Resource Management project significantly advanced LCBC’s mandate to safeguard the Basin’s shared water resources, enhance regional cooperation, and support climate-resilient livelihoods. In a context marked by fragility and environmental stress, the project demonstrated that strengthened institutions, empowered communities, and data-driven decision-making are key to securing sustainable development in the Lake Chad Basin.

LCBC will continue building on these gains as it leads regional efforts toward environmental sustainability, peacebuilding, and prosperity for the millions who depend on Lake Chad.