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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Constance Malleret in Macururé, Bahia. Photographs by Ian Cheibub

‘When you plant something, it dies’: Brazil’s first arid zone is a stark warning for the whole country

An aerial view of a vast plain of sand and scrubby plants
The Brazilian sertão in the country’s north-east is known for its dry climate and harsh conditions but in recent years the rainy season has become even shorter, Photograph: Ian Cheibub/The Guardian

Every Tuesday at dawn, Raildon Suplício Maia goes to the market in Macururé, in Brazil’s Bahia state, to sell goats. He haggles with buyers to get a good price for the animals, which are reared in the open and roam freely.

Goats are the main – and sometimes only – source of income for the people of Macururé, a small town in the Brazilian sertão. This rural hinterland in the country’s north-east is known for its dry climate and harsh conditions.

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