With a very strong El Niño forecast, rural producers and the construction sector are preparing for impacts

"They have to stay trapped because it's raining. In the afternoon, you have to let them out because it's extremely hot, they won't stay inside. And in the afternoon there will be a shower of rain, you have to run to trap them", says Leonardo Maciel dos Santos, who is a cattle rancher and blueberry producer.

The farm adapts as best it can. "We are surrounding the entire property with green curtains, which are native trees, planting and also recovering the springs", says Leonardo.

In the blueberry plantation, the blue fruit, the strategy was to reduce pruning so that the leaves protect the fruits from wind and heavy rain. However, as a result, there was a reduction in the harvest of up to 2.5 kilos per tree this harvest. These are small producers working with rising costs and falling production to reduce the risks of El Niño.

Amanda Schutze, coordinator of the Center for Studies in Climate Economics at FGV, says that climate risk needs to be included in investment accounts. Extreme events have a direct impact on prices and productivity in the economy.

"Imagine a worker who has to work outdoors in a situation of extreme heat. Their productivity is reduced, healthcare costs increase, there are delays in that type of work. So, in addition to the consequences of the impact on the person, which is immeasurable, there is also the economic impact", he explains.

In civil construction, bad weather forecasts may delay the construction schedule. Earthworks, structuring of beams and concreting of the slab cannot be carried out on rainy days, to ensure the safety of workers.

The construction company is also preparing for the wind. "We create a peripheral protection system in all environments, on all floors. To protect the worker, to possibly protect anyone passing by the work site and to prevent materials from flying out of the work site", says Renato Genioli Júnior, director of a construction company.