beyond the control of the Drought NLTA and into the how the program influences its
partners and stakeholders.
The evidence organized through the PM&E approach shows that the Drought
NLTA initiative was able to convene key-regional and federal level multi-sector
stakeholders at a decisive moment, resulting in an unprecedented bottom-up and
regionally-led collaboration. Through the engagement and commitment of the
partners, the program linked and promoted coordinated and continuous sharing of
knowledge, data, and work between service providers, secretariats, municipalities
and other stakeholders from distinct sectors, states, and governmental levels. Thus,
it influenced progress towards overcoming some of the historical challenges related
to drought management in Brazil.
17.2 Background
Drought, or in Portuguese, “seca”, is a not a new phenomenon to the Brazilian
society, especially for those living in the Northeast semi-arid region of the country.
The average annual rainfall in the area is roughly 800 mm per year and is
characterized not only by the minimal rainfall, but also by the timing of the rainfall
(i.e., the rain typically falls only during a concentrated portion of the year).
Historically, severe droughts have occurred in the Brazilian semi-arid. The semiarid region, or the sert~ ao is an area that reaches across nine Northeast states,
covering an area of approximately 982,560 km
2 , and includes more than 1,000
municipalities and 22 million inhabitants.
To combat drought, Brazil, like many nations, has invested in solutions such as
increased emergency lines of credit, renegotiation of agricultural debts, expansion
of social support programs, (e.g., cash transfer programs to poor families and
farmers in the case of crop losses or lack of water to support plantings), and
water truck deliveries of emergency drinking water to rural communities. These
measures have helped to mitigate the more dramatic effects of drought, that in the
past included not only economic losses but also starvation, diseases, death, losses of
crops and animals, migration, pillage, and migrations. To date, however, few
initiatives have been focused on adopting a long-term approach to avoid drought
related losses and to promote a more resilient society.
This traditional approach to managing droughts around the world is often
referred to as the “hydro-illogical” cycle (Wilhite 2011), characterized by the
adoption of emergency measures when the drought hits that are quickly abandoned
as the drought fades (along with the fading of decision makers’ memories of the
need to be better prepared for the next one).
More severe droughts are expected to happen in the Brazilian semi-arid region
with climate change and increasing demand for water resources (World Bank
2014a). The most recent one, began in 2010, and has been progressing and
persisting through 2015. Considered the worst drought in decades, it is costing
billions of Brazilian reais for emergency and structural actions and has led to
17 Drought Preparedness Policies and Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. . .
307
partners and stakeholders.
The evidence organized through the PM&E approach shows that the Drought
NLTA initiative was able to convene key-regional and federal level multi-sector
stakeholders at a decisive moment, resulting in an unprecedented bottom-up and
regionally-led collaboration. Through the engagement and commitment of the
partners, the program linked and promoted coordinated and continuous sharing of
knowledge, data, and work between service providers, secretariats, municipalities
and other stakeholders from distinct sectors, states, and governmental levels. Thus,
it influenced progress towards overcoming some of the historical challenges related
to drought management in Brazil.
17.2 Background
Drought, or in Portuguese, “seca”, is a not a new phenomenon to the Brazilian
society, especially for those living in the Northeast semi-arid region of the country.
The average annual rainfall in the area is roughly 800 mm per year and is
characterized not only by the minimal rainfall, but also by the timing of the rainfall
(i.e., the rain typically falls only during a concentrated portion of the year).
Historically, severe droughts have occurred in the Brazilian semi-arid. The semiarid region, or the sert~ ao is an area that reaches across nine Northeast states,
covering an area of approximately 982,560 km
2 , and includes more than 1,000
municipalities and 22 million inhabitants.
To combat drought, Brazil, like many nations, has invested in solutions such as
increased emergency lines of credit, renegotiation of agricultural debts, expansion
of social support programs, (e.g., cash transfer programs to poor families and
farmers in the case of crop losses or lack of water to support plantings), and
water truck deliveries of emergency drinking water to rural communities. These
measures have helped to mitigate the more dramatic effects of drought, that in the
past included not only economic losses but also starvation, diseases, death, losses of
crops and animals, migration, pillage, and migrations. To date, however, few
initiatives have been focused on adopting a long-term approach to avoid drought
related losses and to promote a more resilient society.
This traditional approach to managing droughts around the world is often
referred to as the “hydro-illogical” cycle (Wilhite 2011), characterized by the
adoption of emergency measures when the drought hits that are quickly abandoned
as the drought fades (along with the fading of decision makers’ memories of the
need to be better prepared for the next one).
More severe droughts are expected to happen in the Brazilian semi-arid region
with climate change and increasing demand for water resources (World Bank
2014a). The most recent one, began in 2010, and has been progressing and
persisting through 2015. Considered the worst drought in decades, it is costing
billions of Brazilian reais for emergency and structural actions and has led to
17 Drought Preparedness Policies and Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. . .
307