ÁGUA PARA QUEM? ÁGUA PARA QUÊ? CONFLITOS POR ÁGUA NOS ASSENTAMENTOS DA REFORMA ÁGRARIA EM ÁREAS DE MODERNIZAÇÃO AGRÍCOLA

Abstract

Water, an essential element for life, is the focus of intense conflicts, especially in regions where intensive agriculture encroaches upon rural settlements, such as in the northwest of Minas Gerais. The Green Revolution introduced an agricultural model that prioritizes monocultures and requires large quantities of water and land, resulting in a concentration of resources on large properties. This model, supported by public policies and geared towards the international market, amplifies inequalities in access to natural resources, impacting rural communities and small farmers. Through fieldwork and interviews with local actors, it was found that access to water in these areas is neither permanent nor sufficient to meet the basic needs of settled families. Water scarcity forces settlers into unequal and disadvantageous practices and exchanges, such as leasing or agricultural partnerships, compromising their autonomy and leaving them vulnerable. Intensive irrigation, often carried out without proper regulation, further exacerbates conflicts over the resource, threatening the water security of local populations. Organized in social movements, these groups fight for rights to land and water access, as well as for resource redistribution and improvements in sanitation infrastructure. Water management, therefore, constitutes a fundamental challenge that requires consideration of both natural availability and the political and territorial dimensions of resource access."