Polyculture in the semi-arid regions of Brazil

Abstract

The previsions say that the semiarid regions in the world are between the most impacted by the global climate change. In Brazil, among the environmental (lost of biodiversity, extreme droughts), social (migrations, diseases exposition) and economics (reduction on income generation, in employment rates, and in the Gross Domestic Product) of global warming, it is affirmed strong pressures specially over the agriculture and livestock, the mainly subsistence resource in Brazilian semiarid region, because of the increase of the rain irregularity and increase of evaporation. However, it is possible to believe that the many projects that are being developed by the social movement of convivial with the semiarid could play an important act in the climate change mitigation and adaptation, and also in the region development. In this paper, one of this initiatives is presented, the Policultura no Semiárido (multiple cultivation in semiarid), developed by Instituto de Permacultura da Bahia that used simple technologies, evolving the local and the experts knowledge, contribute to Human Development in 65 rural communities in four municipalities in semiarid region at Bahia state, bringing new ways to adapt to the climate reality, with less green house emission, and with the improvement of life conditions.