Agricultural Challenges in the Brazilian Semiarid Region

This gallery is one of the results of fieldwork conducted in the Brazilian semi-arid region between 2011 and 2013, in the states of Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí and Ceará. Around 1,140 family farmers were interviewed. The four case studies were selected through a combination of socioeconomic and climate characteristics, in order to compose a representative sample of the micro-regional vulnerabilities of the region. This project was carried out as a part of the Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change’s sub-network dealing with Climate Change and Regional Development. The focus on smallholder farming in Brazil’s Northeast is important because this sector is highly sensitive to climate stimuli, has a weak capacity to deal with and prevent impacts of climate variability, and is an important source of food production in Brazil.