Rainwater management to restore ecosystems and foster food production: A Case study in the semiarid region of minas gerais in Brazil

Abstract

Rainfed agriculture is vital for the subsistence of the population in the semiarid region of the Minas Gerais state in Brazil. However, annual rainfall is concentrated into four months and varies from 250 to 800 mm while evaporation rate is high all through the year. This region is one of the poorest regions in Brazil and lack of water and soil management has resulted in the degradation of local ecosystems, in low yields from crop production, and in increasing social and environmental vulnerability. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of micro-rainwater harvesting (MRWH) techniques (Negarim, Semicircular bunds, Contour bunds, and Contour ridges) in enhancing water infiltration in the soil profile and in improving soil structure and crop production. Trees were used as bioindicators to test the techniques' effectiveness in storing water in the soil profile to enhance plant growth. Monthly measures of soil stability, superficial infiltration rate and humidity percentage in the soil profile were made for one year. The results showed that the RWH techniques were effective in retaining soil humidity, improving soil characteristics and enhancing plant development, even during the dry period.