There are no markets in Alto Urupadi, a region of riverside communities in the Amazonian municipality of Maués.
To eat, the hundreds of families living there rely on the river, which provides them with fish; the forest, where they hunt and gather fruits; and the field, where they grow cassava and other tubers.
All these alternatives were hindered by the historic drought that hit Amazonas in 2023, so severe that it killed dolphins and dried up rivers.
The extreme climate brought food insecurity to the people, who deal with water and food scarcity even though they live in the region with the highest biodiversity on the planet.
The shallow and excessively warm river drove many species away from the shore. Thus, for sustenance, a seedling nursery was implemented and even a chicken farm, alternatives to fish in difficult times.