The semi-arid region of Brazil is experiencing its worst drought in decade; cattle are dying, the rivers are drying up and people are going hungry.

There is however hope for the future in the Adapta Sertão project, which is trialing an agroforestry model alongside more efficient use of water by smallholder farmers in the state of Bahia.

The Guardian’s Climate Change Hub reports on the situation in Brazil and this innovative project that is seeing farmers plan the storage of water for drier periods of the year and undertake reforestation activities.

In Bahia, the main economic activity is cattle farming and cropping. Past practices have resulted in considerable deforestation which has impacted on the microclimate and pesticide use has caused significant pollution. Reforestation efforts are focused on reversing this damage.

The article concludes, “It is not possible to control the weather, but it is possible to understand its dynamics and to prepare to avoid tragedies affecting the most vulnerable populations of the globe.

Read the full story: Desperately seeking solutions to worst drought in decades in Brazil