{
  "id": 2798001,
  "title": "Desertification in Brazil threatens food and water security",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/desertification-in-brazil-threatens-food-and-water-security",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-23T12:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Agencia Brasil",
    "slug": "agencia-brasil",
    "url": "https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/meio-ambiente/noticia/2026-08/desertification-brazil-threatens-food-and-water-security"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Approximately 39 million Brazilians reside in regions susceptible to desertification, impacting farmers, indigenous peoples, and individuals in the Pantanal, Caatinga, and Pampa biomes. Desertification, a term that might appear unusual given Brazil's lack of true deserts like Chile's Atacama or Africa's Sahara, refers to environmental degradation in which productive land loses its ability to retain water and support life. This primarily occurs due to human activities like deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices, as well as climate variations. According to the Superintendence for the Development of the Northeast (SUDENE), 18 percent of Brazil's territory consists of Areas Susceptible to Desertification (ASD).\n\nExperts emphasize that the problem disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and traditional communities, who directly experience the consequences on water and biodiversity. The Pantanal, a biome with threatened areas due to increased wildfires and cattle ranching expansion, is one such region. Between 2000 and 2020, the area affected by desertification in Brazil expanded by 170,000 km², from 1.35 million to 1.51 million km², primarily impacting the nine Northeast states and extending to northern Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, northeastern Rio de Janeiro, and northwestern Mato Grosso do Sul.\n\nThe Caatinga, Brazil's most severely degraded biome, has lost 11 percent of its soil, equivalent to 100,000 km², with 42.6 percent of its native vegetation already cleared. This biome is crucial for biodiversity, local communities, and climate balance, as it stores 72 percent of its carbon in the soil, making it a significant natural reservoir. However, Brazil must advocate for the Caatinga's explicit mention in scientific discussions at the 17th United Nations Conference on Combating Desertification (COP17) in Mongolia, or it may be left off the Convention's scientific agenda until 2030.",
  "summary": "Approximately 39 million Brazilians live in areas threatened by desertification. They include farmers, indigenous peoples, and those living in the Pantanal, Caatinga, and Pampa biomes. The term may seem strange, since the country does not have deserts like Chile’s Atacama or North Africa’s Sahara - places where the dry climate and water scarcity are extreme. Notícias relacionadas: Brazil to join…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}