Drynet partners meet for the first time in Brazil

(Ricardo Cifuentess, OLCA, Chile)

With field trips to visit rural communities that are developing successful initiatives to fight desertification in Northern Brazil, the 14 Drynet partners inaugurated their joint participation in the project.

The outreach activities took place during the conference organised in Fortaleza, Brazil, in March 23-28, 2007. The representatives of Drynet’s 14 participant organisations enjoyed the opportunity to observe in detail some polyculture experiences to improve agricultural production and restore the quality of the soil in degraded areas of the Brazilian Sertao.

The group first visited a Horto Florestal (nursery) supported by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and some activities of vegetation rehabilitation along the Cedro River. On their second outing they were hosted by the Municìpio de Irauçuba and shown several technical innovations for rational water management in drylands, including manual pumps for deep wells, and environmentally sound use of groundwater and rain water.

The whole community has been involved in the development of these practices, and their successful experience is being shared with other rural communities facing equal problems worldwide. Local organisations, both governmental and non-governmental organisations, and donor agencies have also collaborated, in many different forms, in the implementation of these alternative technologies.

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