In March 2013, the Brazilian state of Pernambuco became the first state to adopt a policy on “sustainable living in drought conditions”. This is a great success for our partner organization Centro Sabiá, which has been politically promoting the adopted methods for years.
In 2013, farmers in the state of Pernambuco lost 50 percent of their herds due to the drought. Four-fifths of these losses have to be borne by smallholder families. Climate change has exacerbated the drought disasters in north-eastern Brazil. Under the pressure of these events, the Brazilian state of Pernambuco has adopted a program for “sustainable living in drought conditions”.
Methods and strategies incorporated into the programme
The programme incorporates many methods and strategies that our partner organization Centro Sabia and organized farmers have been calling for for years. For our partner organization Centro Sabia, this is a huge success in their fight for sustainable agriculture in Brazil. The political pressure and lobbying work have paid off.
Centro Sabia played a key role in the process
The program was developed in a broad-based process in which representatives of Centro Sabia played a key role. The objectives of the political program, which have now been enshrined in law, include a right to access to water, climate monitoring, environmental education (education on sustainable lifestyles), agricultural technical advisors and support for smallholder family farming.
For a sustainable and dignified life for smallholder families
Our project partner Centro Sabia has been working with farmers’ associations and the national network of organizations in Semiarid Brazil (Articulacao de Semi Arido – ASA) for decades. The aim of the cooperation is to develop and disseminate strategies and ecological farming methods for a sustainable and dignified life for smallholder families. Centro Sabia lobbies for specific political programs and measures within these well-established political actors.
