INTRODUCTION

The research and extension group Manejo de Água e Solo no Semiárido – MASSA, gathers professors, graduate students and undergraduate students in the areas of Agricultural Engineering and Soil Sciences of the Universidade Federal do Ceará, Universidade Federal do Cariri and from the Instituto Federal do Ceará, Iguatu Campus. The actions carried out by the group are related to research and extension activities contextualized to the conditions of the Brazillian Semiarid and the Caatinga biome, whose planning unit is the micro watershed. The research is oriente toward the study of Watershed Management, Biomass and carbon storage in the Caatinga biome, Hydrology of semiarid regions, erosive processes, remote sensoring and surface water quality.

Environmental education activities are developed alongside county schools as well as extension actions that aim to educate local communities in a sustainable use of the water and soil resources in the Brazilian semiarid.