Recife, April 1, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Researchers from the Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Company) and other institutions that act in the semi-arid region of the Northeast will be able to count on US$ 2.5 million in resources to develop projects in the areas of food security, disease prevention, and environmental preservation.

This assurance was given by the director-general of the International Water Management Institute and chairman of the Water and Food Challenge Program, Frank Rijsberman, during a visit to areas of irrigated fruit and vegetable production in Petrolina, in the backlands of the state of Pernambuco. He emphasized that the water and food theme should be assigned priority to meet the needs of the population of the São Francisco River Basin.

According to Rijsberman, the Challenge Program encompasses nine hydrographic basins in various parts of the world. The irrigation techniques used in the São Francisco River Valley use water rationally and keep production levels high, and, in his opinion, they represent an experience that should be transferred to other countries.

Translator: David Silberstein