Brazil drought threatens millions

Hundreds of towns in northeast declare emergency as livelihoods of millions who rely on agriculture face peril.

Just two weeks before the Earth Summit in Rio, the UN issued a disturbing report on the environment. One of the top priorities that will be discussed at the summit is access to water.

Brazil’s northeast region is going through its worst drought in more than 40 years.

Brazilians planted their crops but they simply will not grow. As many as 900 towns in the northeastern part of the country have declared state of emergency.

The government has released more than $3bn to help the region, but people say that their monthly government stipend is not enough.

With rain only expected in October or November, the federal government will have to think of a new strategy to save the livelihoods of millions who rely on agriculture to survive.

Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo reports from Picos, Brazil.

Source: Al Jazeera