It's amazing the effect that planting seedlings can have when they've taken root! As well as providing fruit or nuts to help communities become self sufficient, trees provide shade and shelter, and prevent soil erosion.

In Caraúbas in Northeast Brazil, Oxfam has worked with local partners to improve the soil quality by planting trees and protein-rich plants. More than 1000 families in 45 communities have benefited from richer soil, which has made it easier to grow crops and animal fodder.

Antonio Jales has lived in the region since he was a boy. He remembers when the Umari River was strong and full. Now it only rains in April and May, and the river is smaller every year. The shrinking river means the soil is very dry and the forests on the banks of the river are getting smaller.

With help from Oxfam, Antonio's family planted trees and high protein plants which are helping to improve the quality of the soil by leaving more organic matter in it. The trees are also replenishing the receding forests. They provide shade, strengthen the soil, prevent erosion and ensure that animals stay close when they graze rather than wandering further afield. Antonio's partner Rita de Cassia says that planting the trees and high-protein plants has dramatically improved the quality of the soil. "It is darker and sweeter, and everything grows in it."