On June, 5th 2010, Goré, the capital of the Nya Pendé department, was celebrating the World Environment Day. In presence of Chadian authorities, local populations and Central African refugees of the area gathered in order to show the importance to protect the nature and biodiversity.

The south of Chad has a flourishing nature and fertile lands. In a country covered on 2/3 by the desert, this area represents an exceptional opportunity for the development of agricultural projects.

The environment in danger

Since 2003 and the arrival of more than 70,000 Central African refugees, environmental resources have suffered from this exacerbated demographic pressure. The different refugee camps of Amboko, Gondjé and Dosseye are located in or near natural reserves. 90% of the refugee and local households use domestic resources (wood, coal, twig…) for their energy needs and the cooking of food. The forests around the housing locations have been systematically cut to transform the camps into small habitable villages. The increasing needs for food have also led to the clearing of the forests in order to set up agricultural plots.

All these human-led impact are to be added to the progressive desertification of Chad. Rains on Goré have been dramatically low these last three years, and according to a report of the World Food Program and of the Chadian Ministry of Agriculture, the cereal production of the 2009/2010 agricultural season should be 34% lower than the average of the last five years.

Increased awareness of the threat to the environment

ACTED and its humanitarian partners in the area are focusing notably on the protection of the environment, with the financial support of the UNHCR and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department. 6 environmental committees have been set up and trained to the construction of improved hearths in the refugee camps and the neighboring villages. Sensitizations by ACTED educators have been organized in order to improve the awareness to the threats linked to unregulated clearing. Other trainings have allowed for the dissemination of combustible wise techniques (use of improved hearths, of gas…)

Children as rectors of sensitization are particularly efficient. School-children have thus benefited from trainings on ecological good practices and on environment-related topics. Encouraged to disseminate these techniques, many of them have joined nature protection groups and are eager to sensitize their parents, neighbors or friends.