International Relief & Development (NGOs)

Emerendino Dias Torres, 64, prepares to gather drinking water for his family on his farm in Santa Barabara, Brazil. The family has a variety of resources for water the wet season for their farms, but still must use jugs to collect that which is suitable for drinking. He and his family have been trained in better farming and irrigation techniques, learning to care for their soil and plant crops in addition to the traditional mantioc (cassava) to have success even during the dry times. Receiving assistance through the Family Agriculture Empowerment and Gender programs of Movimento de Organizaçao Comunitaria/Movement of Community Organization (MOC), they have learned to plant a variety of crops, including lettuce, onions, oranges and beans, among others to keep the soil healthy, provide a more balanced diet and to earn some additional income. In the past many farmers only planted the manioc which caused the deterioration of the soil on many farms across the region. To make matters worse, the Semi-Arid region often suffers through seasons of erratic rainfall making it difficult to grow certain crops consistently without the new techniques. The cistern project has not yet reached this area of the state.