Harvest of Arthrospira platensis from Lake Kossorom (Chad) and its household usage among the Kanembu

In 1997 a survey was conducted among the Kanembu who harvest Arthrospira (Spirulina) from Lake Kossorom in the Prefecture of Lac (Chad). Information on the amount of Arthrospira harvested and the preparation and use of dihe was obtained by interviewing the women who daily gather around the lake for the harvesting. Dihe is obtained by filtering and sun drying the algal biomass on the sandy shores of the lake. The semi-dried dihe is then cut into small squares and taken to the villages, where the drying is completed on mats in the sun. Dihe is mainly used to prepare la souce, a kind of fish or meat and vegetable broth. Part of the harvest is sold to local consumers or to wholesalers, who trade the product in the markets of Massakori, Massaquet and N'Djamena and also across the border of the country. The local trading value of the dihe annually harvested from Lake Kossorom (about 40 t) amounts to more than US $100,000, which represents an important contribution to the economy of the area.