Harvesting Opportunity: Climate Resilience and Learning in Climate-Vulnerable Schools

• In Event: Planning for Climate and Economic Resilience

Abstract

The effects of climate change on education are often overlooked, particularly in rural regions of the Global South where fragile infrastructure and scarce public services leave schools and students especially vulnerable to extreme weather events. As families grapple with water shortages and economic instability caused by climate shocks, children are increasingly pulled out of school, undermining long-term development prospects. This paper examines a decentralized climate adaptation strategy designed to confront this challenge: the installation of rainwater harvesting systems (RHS) in rural public schools in Brazil’s semiarid region—an area characterized by frequent droughts, deep socioeconomic disadvantage, and limited access to basic infrastructure. The study evaluates the “Cisterns in Schools” program which equips schools with rooftop rainwater collection systems to ensure access to safe water during dry periods. By turning school buildings into sources of resilience, the program helps maintain student attendance and learning conditions in the face of climate stress. Preliminary findings reveal that the program substantially reduces vulnerability to drought-induced educational disruptions. Specifically, schools participating in the RHS program experienced a 22% reduction in dropout rates during drought years, compared to elligible control schools. Additionally, treated schools demonstrated improved academic performance, with a 5% increase in average scores on standardized tests in language and mathematics. These effects are consistent across different model specifications, including controlling for school and municipal characteristics, and placebo tests. However, the study notes that the program does not significantly influence approval rates, likely due to Brazil's automatic grade promotion policy. Moreover, a decrease in enrollment is observed in participating schools, attributed not to program failure but to broader demographic shifts in more climate-vulnerable communities. This suggests that while the program effectively enhances the school environment and supports students who remain enrolled, it alone cannot offset the broader societal impacts of climate stress on community-level educational participation. The study offers compelling evidence that localized infrastructure interventions like RHS can be effective components of climate adaptation strategies in the education sector. It contributes to the growing literature linking access to water with educational outcomes, reinforcing the notion that water scarcity is a key barrier to student retention and academic success. The analysis shows that despite broader structural inequalities remaining important determinants of educational attainment, targeted investments in climate-resilient infrastructure can yield measurable benefits, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Beyond the statistical results, the paper highlights the importance of community engagement, as the program integrates training in water management and climate resilience education for teachers and students. While this case study serves as a model for scalable, low-cost solutions to the dual challenges of climate change and educational inequality in the Global South, it also emphasizes the need for holistic policies that combine educational, environmental, and social protection strategies to build resilient communities. 

Author

• Marcelo S. O. Goncalves, Duke University
  Presenting Author