Drought’s Impact in Irrigated Perimeters in the Brazilian Semi-Arid

Abstract

Setting up irrigated perimeters (IP) in the northeastern semi-arid of Brazil was an necessary attempt on development agricultural activities in a reality where water is the main limiting factor and the most problematic on account of the irregularities of the climate and droughts. This work aimed to measure the impact of the extensive drought of 2010 through 2015 on the production of 13 irrigated perimeters in the State of Ceará, identifying the most impacted crops and perimeters. In this regard, the data of the irrigated perimeters executive synthesis, publicized by DNOCS (Departamento Nacional de Obras Contra as Secas - DNOCS) with numbers of agricultural production of six years assessed, were systematized. In addition, meteorological data of pluviometry, sourced by Funceme (Fundação Cearense de Meteorologia e Recursos Hídricos - Funceme) and data of water storage volumes of the main reservoirs of the State, sourced by Cogerh (State Company of Water Resources Management) on the data of the rainfall State Water resources management company. The State’s agricultural productions of the irrigated perimeters raised until 2014, when the water’s collapse resulted in rationing and a whole decline in production. The IP, such as Ema, Forquilha, and Quixabinha suffered a substantial decline in production since the early years of drought, which reached a total collapse in 2014, for in the case of the Ema.

Keywords

• Water resource management
• Irrigated agriculture
• Water shortage