22-09-2026 | di COOPI

Chad. Micro-grants from Italy to boost the local economy in Lake Chad

In the Lake Chad province, where food insecurity is exacerbated by climate shocks and population displacement, COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale continues to support the resilience of the most vulnerable communities as part of the "Food Emergency in Lake Chad" project, funded by the Italian Cooperation and implemented in partnership with the Chadian NGO ALMP (Association for the Fight against Malnutrition and Precarity). On July 10, 2026, an official ceremony was held in Bol to hand over micro-grants to 10 women-led micro-enterprises and cooperatives, aiming to support the development of sustainable economic activities.

Enhanced skills prior to funding

Beyond direct financial support through micro-grants, COOPI and ALMP placed a strong emphasis on building technical capacity. Two training sessions were organized for the 10 selected micro-enterprises/cooperatives, led by expert trainers from decentralized government services.

The topics covered basic financial management and agricultural marketing (on May 26), as well as post-harvest agricultural processing and preservation techniques (from June 1 to June 3).

Financial support and close monitoring

Following the award of micro-grants, close and participatory monitoring was conducted by the COOPI-ALMP project team and state service stakeholders (the Delegation of Agriculture, Production and Agricultural Industries - DPIA, the Delegation of Social Action and Humanitarian Actions, the Delegation of Women and Early Childhood, the Representative of Lake Producers, and the Representative of Lake Women and Youth).

These monitoring visits made it possible to collect quantitative and qualitative data on the activities of the various micro-enterprises/cooperatives. At the same time, they fostered knowledge-sharing with the members of the micro-enterprises/cooperatives (advice, guidance, coaching, etc.) and helped identify the main bottlenecks faced by each initiative.

Standing with the population

COOPI has been present in Chad since 1976, where it has carried out 160 projects to date, benefiting over 4.5 million people through a multisectoral approach. Today, in the Lake Chad province, it improves food and nutritional security for vulnerable communities, promotes women's empowerment, peacebuilding, and conflict prevention.