Youth discuss climate change at preparatory meeting for X ENCONASA

Josilma Bertino, young agroecology multiplier

The Commission of Young Agroecology Multipliers (CJMA) was present at the State Preparatory Meeting for the tenth ENCONASA, in Triunfo-PE, on September 3 and 4, 2024.

In addition to the timeline of ASA’s actions, other themes related to the water issue in the Semi-Arid, such as climate change and the fight against desertification, were highlighted. The event brought workshops and important presentations of data on climate change and its effects on people’s lives all over the world, especially in the Brazilian Semi-Arid.

Rivaneide Almeida, the territorial coordinator of the Sabiá Center, also reflected on climate change and strategies for living with the semi-arid region. Agronomy professor Genival Barros from UAST/UFRPE presented research showing alarming and worrying data on soil quality in the Pernambuco hinterland, understanding this degradation as an anthropic action.

In addition, the young people were able to learn about the experience of three women farmers in living in the semi-arid region. The first, Silvanete Lermen, from Exu, in the Araripe hinterland, showed how she and her family have been working to recover ancestral knowledge and care for the land in the Serra dos Paus Dóias. She also explained how agroforestry has been transforming and recovering degraded areas by leveraging their identity with ancestral knowledge and food production, generating income and conserving our forest.

Josilma Bertino, from Sítio Sobrado, Jataúba, in the northern agreste, explained her experience with agroforestry in the Caatinga and with the action of the Centro Sabiá’s “Águas da Serra” project, which has recovered four springs in the Capibaribe River basin. Other technologies were included in the project’s actions, such as the Grey Water Reuse System (RAC) and the Roman arch-shaped dams.

The third successful experience presented came from the women of Itapetim, in the Pajeú hinterland. Evanice Pereira told the story of the women producers of Gameleira who, together and organized, have been taking care of the Caatinga, preserving springs and producing native seedlings. At the same time, women have been strengthening themselves in search of rights, female empowerment and self-organization, understanding that they and young people are key players in mitigating the negative effects of climate change.

I see in the agroforestry and social technologies adopted by the ASA a new hope for the regeneration of the land, as well as a guarantee of water and food security for the people of Caatingu. However, it is necessary to strengthen the culture of stockpiling, be it water, seeds or food; and to put pressure on governments for more structured and less emergency actions, such as the actions of network organizations, to curb the effects of climate change and guarantee food sovereignty for the people of the semi-arid region.