EN 
PT_BR 
Among the problems that the northeastern semi-arid region faces, the one that stands out most is drought, after all, the region has the lowest incidence of rainfall in Brazil.
Thinking of an alternative to help solve this problem, the MDR (Ministry of Regional Development), through the DNCOS (National Department of Works Against Droughts), is installing artesian wells to bring water to residents of rural areas.
In places where the electricity grid is not close to drilled wells, solar energy is a viable and sustainable solution. In these locations, photovoltaic panels are being used to operate pumps and systems and benefit the population.
“Under the guidance of President Jair Bolsonaro, we overcame the challenges to get water, which is such a precious commodity, to reach the semi-arid northeast. It is a commitment from the Federal Government and we are committed, with these and other works, to helping these families overcome this drought situation that has been affecting the region for a long time”, highlighted Rogério Marinho, MDR minister.
“MDR’s partnership and support are being fundamental to the success of these interventions with immediate results in our northeastern Brazilian seminar, providing these citizens with water infrastructure to access water”, highlighted Fernando Leão, general director of DNOCS.
Farmer Leandro de Brito, from the municipality of Calumbi (PE), emphasized that the arrival of water with the wells operating with photovoltaic energy is a relief for more than 30 rural families. “This well is very useful. The flow is very high, it is good water and we are even giving it to our animals to drink. We are very satisfied.”
benefited states
Since 2019, 300 units with this energy source have been contracted in the states of Pernambuco (89), Ceará (98), Piauí (40) and Bahia (73) and have already been installed. In total, the investment is approximately R$ 8.2 million.
In addition to the wells that work with photovoltaic energy, the Federal Government has already delivered 1,074 units that use electrical energy in the semi-arid region. They are in Bahia (367), in Rio Grande do Norte (199), in Piauí (114), in Alagoas (48), in Sergipe (70), in Pernambuco (148), in Ceará (55) and in the north of Minas Gerais (73).
Understand the drought in the Northeast
According to information published by specialist Eduardo de Freitas, on the Brasil Escola website, the restricted presence of rain in the Northeast is basically caused by the type of air mass combined with the relief, which often prevents hot and humid air masses from acting on the location, causing rains.
“In the south of the Sertão, rain rarely occurs between October and March – resulting from the action of cold fronts with a polar characteristic that appear and act in the Southeast. The other areas of the Sertão have their rain caused by the trade winds coming from the northern hemisphere”, explained Freitas.
According to him, in the Sertão, rain occurs between December and April, however, in certain years this does not happen, causing a long period without rain, thus causing drought.
“Prolonged droughts in the Northeastern Sertão are often caused by rising water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This warming is called El Niño by the scientific community”, he concluded.
