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Brazil desertification threatens food and water security for 39 million people
Desertification in Brazil is a growing environmental crisis, affecting approximately 18% of the national territory. According to data from the Superintendência do Desenvolvimento do Nordeste (Sudene), the area impacted by desertification expanded from 1.35 million to 1.51 million square kilometers between 2000 and 2020, an increase of 170,000 square kilometers comparable to the combined size of the states of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Alagoas.
An estimated 39 million Brazilians live in areas vulnerable to this process, including indigenous peoples, quilombolas, and small-scale farmers. The degradation, driven by deforestation, inadequate agricultural practices, and climate variations, threatens food security, water availability, and regional economies. The Caatinga biome is particularly affected, with roughly 11% of its area in critical condition.
To address these challenges, the Brazilian government launched the Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Drought (PAB-Brazil 2025–2043) in March 2026. Additionally, the Recaatingar program aims to recover 10 million hectares of degraded land in the Caatinga over the next 20 years. These issues are central to the 17th United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification (COP17) being held in Mongolia.
Entities
Articulação Semiárido Brasileiro · Brazil · Ivi Aliana · Mongolia · Sudene · United Nations · United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 14 SOURCES] Approximately 18% of Brazil's territory is classified as Areas Susceptible to Desertification (ASD). www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · correiodobrasil.com.br · radiosampaio.com.br · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] An estimated 39 million people in Brazil live in zones vulnerable to desertification. www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · correiodobrasil.com.br · radiosampaio.com.br · +9 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] The 170,000 square kilometer increase in affected land is roughly equivalent to the combined area of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Alagoas. www.araucarianoar.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · radiosampaio.com.br · www.piranot.com.br · www.ocafezinho.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] The area affected by desertification in Brazil grew from 1.35 million to 1.51 million square kilometers between 2000 and 2020. www.araucarianoar.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · radiosampaio.com.br · www.piranot.com.br · www.ocafezinho.com · +3 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] Traditional and vulnerable populations feel the immediate effects of land degradation. www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · correiodobrasil.com.br · cartacampinas.com.br · +7 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] Desertification impacts food supply, water security, temperature increases, and both urban and rural economies. www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · cartacampinas.com.br · jc.uol.com.br · +6 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] The 17th United Nations Conference to Combat Desertification (COP17) is being held in Mongolia. www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br · correiodobrasil.com.br · radiosampaio.com.br · +13 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 170,000 square kilometer increase in desertification area is roughly equivalent to the combined size of Pernambuco, Paraíba, and Alagoas. www.araucarianoar.com.br · cenariomt.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] Soil degradation affects food supply, water security, temperature increases, and both urban and rural economies. www.araucarianoar.com.br · paraonline.com.br · cenariomt.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Brazilian Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of Drought (PAB-Brazil 2025–2043) was launched in March 2026. radiosampaio.com.br · www.prensa-latina.cu · destakjornal.com.br