Living Land

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The right to water in the semi-arid

region: managing Brazilian areas

susceptible to desertification

Ministry of the Environment & Ministry of Social Development and Fight against Hunger, Brazil

n Brazil, areas susceptible to desertification (ASD) cover

1.3million square kilometres of the national territory. The

semi-arid area in the north-east region is the largest of

such areas, with a total extension of 980,000 km

and a popu-

lation of 22 million people. Better known in Brazil as ‘Sertão’

(backlands), this region has most of its territory covered by

Cerrado and Caatinga, biomes rich in endemic species.

In contrast to other ASDs, the semi-arid area has relatively high

average rainfall, but with precipitation levels unevenly distrib-

uted in time and space. Some droughts may last particularly long,

as a result of the El Niño phenomenon and other weather factors.

Recently, the region has endured the longest drought in 50 years.

The persistence of drought in the ASD led to the mobiliza-

tion of various civil society stakeholders for the promotion of

the fundamental rights of vulnerable populations, including the

right to water and the right to a sound environment. In response

to this popular mobilization, the Brazilian Government designed

a policy to mitigate the effects of drought. Governmental actions

related to ASDs have an integral approach and also aim at the

mitigation of poverty and inequality; the sustainable expansion

of production capacity; and the conservation and sustainable

management of natural resources.

Emergency initiatives that were previously focused on

combating the most visible effects of drought gave way to a set

of structuring actions, jointly promoted by the Ministry of the

Environment (MMA) and the Ministry of Social Development

and Fight against Hunger (MDS). The National Commission to

Combat Desertification gathers government agencies, members

of civil society and stakeholders to discuss the implementation

of the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification, with

particular emphasis on access to water. The Brazilian policies

also put emphasis in the provision of credit lines for projects

that combine innovation and local knowledge.

Image: Paulo Araújo - ASCOM/MMA

The construction of cisterns has positively affected the lives of more than 4 million people in the semi-arid area

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