Surviving on 2,000 francs CFA per day is a harsh reality for countless families in Chad. For households with five to six members, this amounts to roughly 375 francs per person—a budget that forces drastic trade-offs in daily meals. Protein-rich foods vanish first, followed by vegetables, leaving families to consume whatever is available just to stay alive. Balanced nutrition becomes a distant dream, and children grow up with insufficient nutritional intake.

The situation is dire. As the sociologist Remadji Ngaba puts it, “today, Chad is suffering deeply. The average household’s pantry is practically empty.” He highlights the remarkable resilience of the Chadian people, who have adapted to these harsh conditions. Without this psychological endurance, the crisis would be unbearable.

Who bears the brunt of rising prices?

The burden falls disproportionately on women. “She is the backbone of the household,” Ngaba explains. “When the situation worsens, she is the first to feel the impact—and when she struggles, the entire family suffers.” Fathers often dismiss their wives’ concerns about soaring market prices as exaggeration, but the reality is far more grim. Markets have become battlegrounds of daily hardship.

Efforts by authorities to control prices have proven ineffective. Temporary interventions yield no lasting change. “Prices rise again, and nothing changes,” Ngaba laments.

Chad’s untapped potential—and its hunger paradox

Despite boasting around 33 million hectares of arable land across its 1.28 million square kilometers, Chad faces chronic food insecurity. The crisis is most visible in urban areas, where every necessity comes at a premium. But rural communities are not spared. Farmers and livestock herders face relentless threats: crop destruction by wandering cattle, lack of legal recourse, and mounting pressure to abandon their livelihoods.

“Not everyone can live in N’Djamena,” Ngaba warns. “The capital is not a safe haven.” The ongoing clashes between farmers and herders disrupt local food production, which could eventually ease urban market prices. “Both groups deserve protection,” he stresses.

The minimum wage dilemma

The stagnant minimum wage of 60,000 francs CFA—unchanged since 2011—has been outpaced by inflation. Rent in N’Djamena for a decent room now ranges from 20,000 to 25,000 francs, while utilities and other expenses devour most of a worker’s earnings.

A call for action: pragmatic solutions

Ngaba proposes concrete measures to alleviate the crisis. Agricultural project subsidies, better water resource management, and systematic monitoring of market prices top his list. His message to leaders is clear: “They too experience hunger—though perhaps not as acutely—but they must do more.” He urges them to observe how other nations manage similar challenges to improve their people’s daily lives.