Strategic Landscape Restoration for Resilience: Leveraging Ecosystem Services to Secure Livelihoods in Chad

World Bank

Strategic Landscape Restoration for Resilience: Leveraging Ecosystem Services to Secure Livelihoods in Chad

Autores

World Bank

Editor

Washington, DC: World Bank

Descripción

Land degradation and climate vulnerability pose significant threats to Chad’s ecosystems. Yet, there is significant potential to not only reverse these negative trends but also generate employment and livelihood opportunities. Spatially targeted efforts will be required, drawing on analysis of Chad’s diverse landscapes. Healthy ecosystems contribute significantly to Chad’s prosperity, stability, and long-term development, and are vital for ensuring food security, promoting sustainable value chain development, and diversifying the economy. Approximately 40 percent of Chad’s territory is dedicated to agricultural land, with traditional agropastoralism serving as the foundation of rural livelihoods (World Bank, n.d.). However, these landscapes are increasingly threatened by land degradation and desertification, driven by both anthropogenic and natural forces. Declining soil fertility and rapidly increasing water scarcity, including the shrinking of water sources, have led to reduced crop yields and diminished pasture productivity, imposing a growing economic burden, particularly on the agricultural sector. At the same time, Chad faces significant climate risks, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and drought. As emphasized in Chad’s National Food and Nutrition Policy (Government of Chad 2013), environmental degradation and climate change exacerbate problems linked to malnutrition, risking initiatives aimed at reducing poverty and malnutrition. Chad’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC; Government of Chad 2021) also stresses the increased vulnerability imposed on the agricultural, animal husbandry, fisheries, health, social, and education sectors by the compounding effects of climate change and ecosystems degradation. In light of these intersecting pressures, identifying geographic hotspots where land degradation and climate vulnerability overlap can inform the prioritization of restoration efforts that will strengthen ecosystem services (ES) and build resilience. This report aims to provide guidance to development partners on addressing land degradation and climate risk and leveraging ecosystem services to secure livelihoods in Chad. The report covers the above aspects at the national level and includes a case study in the form of a deep dive into the invaluable Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve (OROA), which is one of the largest in Africa, and is in the Batha province in central Chad.