Identity(ies) and Territory(ies) in Dispute: Water and Food Vulnerability in the Municipality of Ribeira do Amparo/BA

Abstract

This research analyzes the socioeconomic and environmental transformations in the municipality of Ribeira do Amparo, Bahia state, resulting from recent productive restructuring, with emphasis on the impacts of the expansion of irrigated fruit farming on traditional production systems, water resources, and food security. The research adopted a qualitative-quantitative approach, combining bibliographic review, analysis of secondary data from official databases such as IBGE, INPE, and CEMADEN, as well as documentary, application of questionnaires according to the HWISE scale, information and accounts from residents of rural communities. The results show that the intensification of water use for agricultural purposes through agribusiness has increased pressure on aquifers and intermittent watercourses, contributing to the reduction of stream flow and the disappearance of wetlands historically used by local communities. Furthermore, the weakening of traditional production chains, such as beans, cassava, and cashew cultivation, is observed, marked by a reduction in production, while economic dependence on large agricultural enterprises in fruit growing deepens. It is concluded that the dominant production model has deepened socio-environmental inequalities, increased water and food vulnerability, and proven incompatible with the climatic limitations of the semi-arid region and with the advancement of desertification processes in the state of Bahia, indicating the need for integrated public policies aimed at valuing family farming, social justice, and food sovereignty.