Study shows necessary gains for a dignified life in semi-arid areas

Guilherme Jeronymo, from Agência Brasil - A study by the IDH Institute analyzed cost of living data and access to fundamental human rights in the semi-arid region and bordering areas of the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, and Rio Grande do Norte, identifying the necessary amount to support a family of four – two adults and two children – in ten different regions of these states. The values ​​found range from R$ 1.986,00 to R$ 4.996,00, therefore above the minimum wage and the reference value for the poverty line (R$ 872,00).

Conducted in partnership with the Anker Research Institute and the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap), the study divided the territories of the three states into ten zones, according to the minimum income necessary for a dignified life, with three zones in Paraíba, four in Rio Grande do Norte, and three in Pernambuco.

In these regions, an amount was established that would cover healthy food, education, housing, health, and leisure, in addition to a 5% surplus for emergencies and unforeseen events, such as the impact of extreme weather events, like the droughts that affect the region. 

The survey highlighted that increasing the income and quality of life of the rural population can generate positive environmental, economic, and social impacts. It also differentiated between the necessary values ​​for employees in agricultural activities (decent wage) and smallholder farmers (decent income). In general, families in the region receive below these values ​​considered necessary by the researchers. This disparity makes the situation of families more precarious in the face of climate threats, such as the advance of desertification, which threatens 13% of the semi-arid territory of Northeast Brazil.

“Without structured and resilient production chains, there is no decent income in the countryside. The degradation of the biome is a threat to families who live off agriculture, reducing their livelihood opportunities. Furthermore, when the income of those who work in the countryside is insufficient for a life without deprivation, it makes it impossible to structure and maintain production chains with regenerative practices,” stated Grazielle Cardoso, manager of the Caatinga Roots Program at the IDH Foundation, an initiative of the organization that aims to improve the living conditions of rural populations in these areas.