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Desertification is a global problem that a!ect arid, semiarid, and dry sub-humid regions of Earth, and it is a result of various factors involving climate changes and human activities. In Brazil, the susceptible areas to this process are mainly located in the Northeast region of the Country, comprising 1,340,863 km², embracing 1,488 municipalities. In addition to that, some areas from northern municipalities of Southeastern States of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. The knowledge level on this degradative process needs to be constantly updated, especially regarding on areas so called "Desertification Nuclei". In this context, it is discussed the desertification in their Nucleus and its correlation with the soil type, in order to determine its origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses family farmer adaptation to climate change in semi-arid regions as local vulnerability reduction and forming transition processes towards more desirable states of socioecological resilience. We apply this methodological framework to the case of the National Program on Biodiesel Production and Use (PNPB) and its efforts to integrate family farmers from the Brazilian northeast into biofuel commodity chains. The results indicate that while the PNPB addresses important components for vulnerability reduction-such as technical assistance or market access-more sustainable futures will essentially rely on broader socioeconomic reforms to break with currently socially exclusive processes. In particular, successful adaptation will need concerted actions at local, regional and national scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming years, it is necessary to expand and consolidate the current national development model, with effective inclusion of the regions most forgotten by governmental policies, as occurred in the past. In relation to the Semi-arid, there is a historical debt, requiring more effective development policies, contribution of knowledge and technologies to make more dynamic and restructure the economic activities in all the spaces of the region, always prioritizing actions of social inclusion. Due to its climatic and geographic characteristics, interventions in the region should maximize the socioeconomic benefits for the present generation while preserving the environmental quality and production capacity for future generations, thereby ensuring the maintenance of biological productivity - ensuring a sustainable development. The Brazilian Semi-arid is a great challenge for its territorial extension and large population, requiring greater commitment from Governments and Brazilian society. There are many potentialities in the region: native fruits, flowers and ornamental plants, many fragrances to explore, mineral stones, handicraft, gastronomy, and especially the great wealth in phytotherapic principles in the vast majority of the plants of the region. Brazil not awakened yet to the riches and the miracle of life bloom in the Semi-arid … [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coming years, it is necessary to expand and consolidate the current national development model, with effective inclusion of the regions most forgotten by governmental policies, as occurred in the past. In relation to the Semi-arid, there is a historical debt, requiring more effective development policies, contribution of knowledge and technologies to make more dynamic and restructure the economic activities in all the spaces of the region, always prioritizing actions of social inclusion. Due to its climatic and geographic characteristics, interventions in the region should maximize the socioeconomic benefits for the present generation while preserving the environmental quality and production capacity for future generations, thereby ensuring the maintenance of biological productivity - ensuring a sustainable development. The Brazilian Semi-arid is a great challenge for its territorial extension and large population, requiring greater commitment from Governments and Brazilian society. There are many potentialities in the region: native fruits, flowers and ornamental plants, many fragrances to explore, mineral stones, handicraft, gastronomy, and especially the great wealth in phytotherapic principles in the vast majority of the plants of the region. Brazil not awakened yet to the riches and the miracle of life bloom in the Semi-arid... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is based on a presentation of the author done at a workshop organized by CGEE in Brasilia on 12 February 2009 on "Crises and Innovation Financing". The main goal was to discuss the impacts of the crises on companies concerning innovation, once many industrial segments were just suff ering from revenue reduction and general credit offer shortage. This work begins with a short definition what is innovation for industries, shows some international and national evidences of the impacts of the crises e how it can aff ect the research and development activities at the companies. Main issues of an interesting article of McKinsey on "Innovation lessons from the 1930s" are pointed out in the article and afterwards, a series of new or changed innovation financing mechanisms are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]