Millions threatened by Brazil drought

Just two weeks ahead of the Earth Summit in Rio, the UN issued a disturbing report on the environment.

One of the top priorities that will be discussed at the summit is access to water.

Brazil’s northeast region is going through its worst drought in more than 40 years. Brazilians planted their crops but they simply will not grow.

900 hundred towns in the northeast part of the country have declared states of emergency. The government has released more than 3 billion dollars to the region, but people say that their monthly government stipend are not enough.

As rain is not expected until October or November,a civil defense official says the the federal government will have to think of a new strategy to save the livelihoods of millions who rely on agriculture to survive.

Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo reports from Picos, Brazil.