This project was born through collaboration between TERREDELSUD and MAGIS (Movement and Action of Italian Jesuits for Development). The aim is that to contribute to the improvement of the conditions of life of the families that reside in the communities subject to the intervention, so that they can qualitatively live a satisfactory and dignified life that makes them aware of the manifold dimensions inside the reality of their natural environment and that leads to a significant reduction in the exodus of young people from the countryside.    

Whoever would like more information or would like to contribute in any way, please write to nelmondo@terredelsud.org to receive further details.

Geography and politics

Federal Republic of Brazil

 República Federativa do Brasil

Surface: 8.514.215 Km² 
Inhabitants: 173.886.000 (2002 estimates) 
Density: 20 inhabitants/Km² 
Form of government: Federal republic of a presidential type 
Capital: Brasilia (2.043.000 inhabitants.) 
Other cities: São Paulo 10.405.000 inhabitants. (17.880.000 urban area), Rio de Janeiro 5.850.000 inhabitants. (10.895.000 urban agglomerates), El Salvador 2.441.000 inhabitants. (3.020.000 urban agglomerates), Belo Horizonte 2.230.000 inhabitants. (4.820.000 urban agglomerates), Fortaleza 2.138.000 inhabitants. (2.985.000 urban agglomerates), Curitiba 1.587.000 inhabitants. (2.725.000 urban agglomerates), Recife 1.422.000 inhabitants. (3.340.000 urban agglomerates), Manaus 1.404.000 inhabitants, Porto Alegre 1.360.000 inhabitants. (3.660.000 urban agglomerates), Belém 1.280.000 inhabitants. (1.795.000 urban agglomerates), Goiânia 1.091.000 inhabitants. (1.640.000 urban agglomerates), Guarulhos 1.071.000 inhabitants. 
Ethnic groups: White 55%, Mulattos and half-caste 38%, Black 6%, Asian, American Indians and others 1% 
Bordering countries: French Guyana, Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela in the NORTH, Colombia to the NORTH-WEST, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina to the WEST, Uruguay to the SOUTH. 
Principal mountains: Pico da Neblina 3014 m 
Principal rivers: The Rio Amazon 3500 Km (Brazilian stretch, total 6280 Km), Purus 3000 Km (Brazilian part, total 3210 Km), Rio São Francisco 2900 Km, Rio Tocantins 2700 Km, Araguaia 2600 Km, Rio Paraná 2400 Km (Brazilian stretch, total 4700 Km) 
Principal lakes: Lagoa Mirim 3000 Km² (total, including the Uruguayan side) 
Principal islands: Ilha de Marajo 47.573 Km², Ilha Grande do Gurupa 4864 Km² 
Climate: Equatorial - tropical 
Language: Portuguese (official), English, German, Italian, Indio dialects     
Religion: Catholic 80%, Protestant 11%, other 9% Currency: Brazilian Real 

The territory of Quixabeira extends for 268 Km², with a population of 9.460 inhabitants.  

 The distance from the capital Salvador is 300 Km.   

Title:

Living with drought. Support for the formation of rural activities and crafts which produce income.

Origins of the initiative: 

  The present initiative was born from the commitment and the reflections promoted in recent years by local communities organized through the Parish and the Agricultural Family School of Jaboticaba with the pupils and the parent associations to find together solutions to the problem of drought. In 1992 the association of  small agricultural producers was formed (Appj), officially recognized as a publicly useful organisation whose aim is to answer to the appeals and the needs of the rural population by promoting concrete actions to fight drought, in line with the directives common to other interventions in progress in the semi-arid region.. In these years through different financings and help, various accomplishments have been achieved which have regarded 225 different families,  and the present project intends to put into effect a more advanced strategy which extends the actions already taken to a more elevated number of families, carrying them out again with appropriate interventions and more effective means.   

Description of the Initiative: 

- information and training at a community level and formation of local panels- construction of water structures (cisterns for family use and for community use) 
- construction of a community centre 
- increase the breeding of goats and the construction of sheep-pens with suitable techniques 
- assure assistance to the farmers and technical-veterinary assistance to the breeders 
-plant an orchard 
- predispose and follow the activity of small loans to farmers and craftsmen 

General Aim of the Project:  

Contribute to the improvement of the conditions of life of the families that reside in the communities subject to the intervention, so that they can qualitatively live a satisfactory and dignified life that makes them aware of the manifold dimensions inside the reality of their natural environment and that leads to a significant reduction in the exodus of young people from the countryside.  

Specific objective of the Project:  

  Diffusion among the inhabitants, and above all among young people, of the Culture of  knowing how to live with a semi-arid climate through the formation and the expansion of rural and craft activities which produce income while respecting and conserving the fragile ecosystem of the environment.