In turn, rather more than half of that was awarded in six-hectare lots to subsistence farmers from the semi-arido.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

The Banco do Nordeste, a public-sector regional development bank, has increased its lending to agro-industrial projects in the semi-arido.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

In practice it has done nothing for the subsistence farmers of the semi-arido.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

Poor soil and pasture mean that cattle farms in the semi-arido need at least 100 hectares (250 acres) to be economic.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

The second big need of the semi-arido is decent education.

ECONOMIST: Brazil