forced migration Sahel

Question 1

what is the sahel

Answer 1

semi-arid transition zone between the Sahara Desert and savannah grasslands).

Question 2

where is the sahel

Answer 2

mostly Niger

Question 3

population in Niger

Answer 3

20 million

Question 4

HDI of Niger

Answer 4

0.348

Question 5

GNI per capita of Niger

Answer 5

US$593.

Question 6

climate

Answer 6

hot, dry, drought-prone; extremely fragile biophysical environment.

Question 7

economy of niger

Answer 7

subsistence agriculture + livestock; highly climate-dependent.

Question 8

effects of the common drought niger experiences (5)

Answer 8

reduce crop yields and kill livestock.

Causes food insecurity, malnutrition, and income loss.

Question 9

the desertification and expansion of sahara is due to (5)

Answer 9

Overgrazing

Deforestation

Unsustainable agricultural practices

Overcultivation

Population pressure

Question 10

what does the expansion of the sahara lead to (3)

Answer 10

to land degradation, less fertile soil, reduced carrying capacity.

Question 11

soil degradation means

Answer 11

Soil erosion, nutrient depletion, compaction → declining agricultural productivity.

Question 12

what has happened to water resources

Answer 12

shrank dramatically

Question 13

lake chad size comparison

Answer 13

25,000 km² (1960s) → 1,350 km² (today).

Over 90% reduction in surface area.

Question 14

how many people around lake chad suffer extreme food insecurity

Answer 14

3.4 million people

Question 15

has the river niger been polluted as well

Answer 15

yes

Question 16

Why is Niger highly vulnerable to forced migration (6)

Answer 16

Extreme poverty, fragile environment, drought, desertification, population pressure, conflict.

Question 17

What are the main environmental problems?

Answer 17

Drought, desertification, soil degradation, shrinking Lake Chad, water pollution.

Question 18

How does overgrazing contribute to migration?

Answer 18

Leads to soil erosion + vegetation loss → land becomes unusable → people migrate.

Question 19

What type of migration dominates in Niger?

Answer 19

Internal displacement (IDPs) + cross-border environmental refugees.

Question 20

Which countries receive Nigerien migrants?

Answer 20

Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali.

Question 21

What is driving migration around Lake Chad?

Answer 21

The lake has shrunk >90%, making fishing and farming impossible.

Question 22

How does land degradation affect Niger’s economy?

Answer 22

Reduces GDP by ~3% per year.

Question 23

What pressures does migration put on southern Niger?

Answer 23

Overcrowding, pressure on land and water, rising urban poverty.

Question 24

How does conflict intensify forced migration?

Answer 24

Boko Haram attacks destroy fields/infrastructure → increases displacement.

Question 25

What is the Great Green Wall initiative?

Answer 25

A reforestation project to fight desertification across the Sahel.

Question 26

How does the Lake Chad Basin Commission help?

Answer 26

Coordinates water use among bordering countries.

Question 27

What limits Niger’s ability to manage migration?

Answer 27

Low government capacity, funding shortages, rapid population growth.

Question 28

Explain how climate change exacerbates forced migration in the Sahel.

Answer 28

Higher temperatures + less rainfall → land degradation → livelihoods lost → conflict over shrinking resources → displacement.

Question 29

Evaluate the effectiveness of responses to forced migration in Niger.

Answer 29

Some progress (reforestation, aid) but long-term issues (poverty, climate change, conflict) overwhelm capacity.

Question 30

Why is forced migration in Niger considered a “complex humanitarian emergency”?

Answer 30

Overlapping climate stress, demographic growth, chronic poverty, and conflict create a multi-layered crisis.

Question 31

what happened in 2014

Answer 31

the terrorist group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok, causing many people to flee the region and migration to accelerate