Notes on the Socioeconomic Impacts of Agro-Hydro-Business in the Senador Nilo Coelho Irrigated Perimeter in Petrolina (PE)

Abstract

The Northeastern Sertão is often associated with drought, but along the banks of the São Francisco River, "oases" can be found, as the river's waters are used for energy production, agriculture, and fishing. The Petrolina-Juazeiro hub has established itself as the country's largest fruit exporter, significantly contributing to the socioeconomic development of Pernambuco and Bahia. This irrigation area, driven by advanced technologies, has become an example of geographic and economic transformation in a semi-arid region. However, the agro-hydro-business model, based on the intensive exploitation of water resources, still faces significant challenges. The research, of a mixed nature, analyzes the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of productive specialization in the Senador Nilo Coelho Irrigated Perimeter in Petrolina (PE). The paper discusses, based on a bibliographic review and field observations, how public policies, initiated in the 1970s with SUDENE and BNB, expanded irrigation and attracted private investment. While modernization expanded production chains, generating more jobs and greater access to labor rights, inequality persisted. The São Francisco Valley thus reflects the contrasts of Brazilian economic development, where technical progress occurs amidst social and environmental challenges.