Brazil’s northeast interior has been experiencing a severe drought in what should be the rainy season. 

“What falls from the sky does not fill a glass of water,” Raimundo, a farmer, said. Natural vegetation, which would normally provide food for livestock, has dried up and many ranchers cannot afford to buy imported feed for their herds. Many farmers are on the brink of collapse, while others have given up on ranching and have moved to other parts of the country in search of work.

President Dilma Rousseff previously announced $1bn in aid to all of those affected by the drought, but many ranchers are having trouble feeding themselves and their cattle are dying in record numbers.