Dilma on the drought: situation remains serious.

Paula Laboissière
Reporter from Agência Brasil

Brasilia – President Dilma Rousseff said today (8) that the drought situation in the Northeast and northern Minas Gerais remains serious. According to her, the government is investing a total of R$ 32 billion in so-called structural works, which guarantee a definitive water supply, such as dams, canals, pipelines and pumping stations.

In her weekly radio program "Coffee with the President," she recalled that last week the federal government also announced the expansion of emergency actions to combat the drought in the region. In a meeting with governors in Fortaleza, Dilma announced an additional R$ 9 billion in drought relief efforts.

"This drought is the worst in the last 50 years and has already affected more than 1.415 municipalities. The federal government will not allow the people of the Semi-Arid region and the entire Northeast to be left helpless. As long as the drought persists, we will act. We will accelerate infrastructure projects and emergency actions to help the population face all the difficulties."

The plan is for each affected municipality to receive a backhoe loader, a grader, two trucks (a dump truck and a water truck), and a front-end loader. The government will also provide 340 tons of corn in April and May to be sold at subsidized prices to producers.

"And from then on, for as long as the drought lasts, we will supply 160 tons each month. We sell this corn at a very subsidized price, at R$ 18 per sack, which is well below the market price. To ensure this corn reaches those who need it quickly, it will be transported by sea to the Northeast, to the ports there. From there, each governor will be responsible for the distribution."

Dilma stressed that the prolonged drought is harming the economy of the most affected municipalities. She highlighted actions already announced by the government, such as the creation of a special credit line with lower interest rates to support rural producers, commerce, and small and medium-sized businesses in these localities.

"We released R$ 2,4 billion and now we are releasing another R$ 350 million specifically for this emergency credit, for all productive activity in the Semi-Arid region," she explained. Another measure mentioned by the president consists of renegotiating the debts of farmers in the Semi-Arid region, extending the repayment period for loans by ten years.

"The Northeast was the region of our country that grew the most in recent years, and we will do everything to ensure that these achievements of the last ten years are not lost. Now, our challenge is to guarantee water security and productive security for the population of the Semi-Arid region," he added.

Edited by: Juliana Andrade