A difficult and precarious environmental context in Bahai.

The environmental context of Bahai is difficult. Because of the advancing desert, the rains are rarer and lighter in this region. Despite the continuous support praided by the humanitarian NGOs present in this area, the environmental situation threatens the development of agro pastoral activities. According to a joint report from the WFP and the Chadian Ministry of Agriculture, the 2009/2010 cereal production should be 34% inferior to the average of the last 5 years. The arrival of more than 31,000 Sudanese refugees on the Oure Cassoni camp since 2003 has put further pressure on the scarce natural resources, whose exploitation is already difficult to control.

Fighting desertification

ACTED has contributed to the preservation of the environment since 2005 through different activities, for example with the reafforestation of different areas. In 2010, 22,000 trees (of various sorts: fruit-trees, forest-trees and ornamental trees procuring shadow zones) that resist local constraints have been planted. At the start of September, with the support of ACTED’s teams, the refugee and local populations have planted 8,000 new acacias and leucaenas next to the Oure Cassoni camp, to fight desertification. The project will benefit both the refugees and the local populations. These trees are adapted to the arid soils, and will grow over 4 to 5 years and will be taken care of by the local and refugee populations.