In an effort to bring stability to the Lake Chad region, a 2-billion FCFA agreement was signed on September 6 between the Lake Chad Region Recovery and Development Project (PROLAC) and the University of Diffa (UDA).

The aim of the convention is to improve resilience, social cohesion and inclusion, connectivity, as well as trade and development in the Lake Chad Basin, according to a report by the Nigerian Press Agency.

Niger’s Minister of Higher Education and Research, Professor Mamoudou Djibo, chaired the ceremony.

The PROLAC/UDA convention will focus on improving rural productivity and income, particularly in the fishing, livestock farming and agricultural sectors, the main sources of revenue for the people in the region.

Djibo said the convention, a UDA initiative, was committed to supporting people in the Lake Chad Basin – which includes Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria – who have been under attack by the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’way Wa’l-Jihād (JAS), more commonly referred to as Boko Haram, since 2015.

The relentless violence throughout the Basin had resulted in the disruption of the social fabric and the destruction of traditional livelihoods. Many had been internally displaced within their own country or in neighbouring countries. Thousands had died in the attacks.

Djibo said the convention would strengthen the capacities of research institutions and universities, in particular the UDA, to support, facilitate and participate in regional activities, sharing knowledge management for targeted agricultural livelihoods by using innovative and climate-resilient techniques.

The budget of the agreement is 2,090,000,000 CFA francs. A committee, including scientists and technologists from the University of Diffa, was officially inducted at the ceremony.