Lake Chad is a central feature in the livelihoods and economies of several countries. Local and regional pressures have always been a challenge, but the new stress of diminishing rainfall is deepening this challenge.

In many countries of the African continent, access to enough good-quality water has long been a challenge, which the Anthropocene is exacerbating in many regions. One case study focused on Lake Chad, a central feature in the livelihoods and economies of several countries that border the dwindling lake. Local and regional pressures have always been a challenge, and have triggered adaptive strategies, but the new stress of diminishing rainfall in the Anthropocene is deepening this challenge.