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Semi Arid National Institute – Instituto Nacional do Semiárido (INSA)

 

Affiliation:

Semi Arid National Institute (INSA) /
Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology

Mailing address:

Semi Arid National Institute
Instituto Nacional do Semiárido
58.400-185 Campina Grande
Av. Floriano Peixoto, 715, 2o andar, Centro
Brazil

Phone: +55 83 2101-6400
Fax: +55 83 2101-6403
E-Mail: insa@insa.gov.br
Web: http://www.insa.gov.br

Mission statement

The INSA’s mission is to perform inter-institutional solutions related to challenges in articulation, research, education, diffusion and public politics to aim the Brazilian semi arid sustainability, considering the semiarid condition as an advantage.

Reference of the mission statement: INSA was created in April 2004 by the law no. 10.860, as a research unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) and regulated in 2006 by the ministerial decree 896/2006 of November 2006.

 

The environment of the location

Geographic location
INSA is located on the hills of Borborema Plateau, at Campina Grande city, the second biggest city of Paraíba State, in Brazil. It is located at 483 m and has a mean annual rainfall of 803 mm. The rainfall is highly variable and some months can be completely dry. The city is renowned for its universities and technological development. It is well communicated by roads and airport.

Dryland,Land use, Biome
According to the last government regulation (2005), the Brazilian semiarid delimitation includes parts the following states: Piaui, Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe e Bahia (all of them at the Northeast region), and also the North of Minas Gerais State (Southeast region). Thus, the Brazilian semi-arid region is represented by 1,134 cities, an area of 981,821.9km² and almost 21 million people.
INSA is located at Campina Grande, Paraiba state, one of the cities included in the Brazilian semiarid.

The Caatinga, an exclusive Brazilian biome, is characterized by xerophytic vegetation, thorny trees that shed their leaves seasonally. Actually, the vegetation is so heterogeneous and diverse that it is more correctly say that there is not one single Caatinga, but several distinctive Caatingas. Cacti, thick-stemmed plants, thorny brush, and arid-adapted grasses make up the ground layer. The rainy season is very brief, concentrated between April and July.
Although Caatinga’s biodiversity is poorly known, studies have identified a very diverse and distinctive set of species. Some potentialities of this region are the exploitation of xerophytic crops and animal production, small ruminants in particular.

Latitude: 7° 16’ S
Longitude: 35° 57’ W

Short history and milestones

INSA was created in April 2004 by the law no. 10.860, as a research unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) and regulated in 2006 by the ministerial decree 896/2006 of November 2006. Today, there are seven research scientists, staff and students working on various research projects that take place in many states in the nation.

 

Structure of the institute

INSA currently is building its headquarter and laboratories. Currently, the institute is organized in five research priorities:

    • Caatinga and environment
      • Semi arid and climate changes
      • Ecosystems, Caatinga dynamics and use of plant species from the Brazilian semi arid
      • Desertification and management of degraded areas on Brazilian semi arid

 

    • Natural resources
      • Genome and genetic diversity of animals, plants and microorganisms from Brazilian semi arid
      • Water-soil-plant relationships of Brazilian semi arid
      • Use of water resources of Brazilian semi arid
      • Soil conservation and use in Brazilian semi arid

 

    • Semi arid agro ecosystems and animal production
      • Dynamics of local clusters and productive chains of Brazilian semi arid
      • Exploitation of xerophytic crops
      • Genetic resources of Brazilian semi arid native breeds
      • Animal nutrition in Brazilian semi arid
      • Use of native forage from Brazilian semi arid

 

    • Agro industry and alternative energy for the semi arid
      • Agro industry as a sustainable alternative to Brazilian semi arid development

 

  • Politics and social development
    • Drought convivence in Brazilian semi arid
    • Education and development of Brazilian semi arid
    • Development politics and social inclusion in Brazilian semi arid

In addition, the institute manages two native areas. It’s Experimental Station “Lagoa Bonita” with 600 ha and an area of 100 ha around the main building.