Land and water use conflicts along the Utinga River Basin, Brazil

This dissertation analyzes the socio-environmental conflicts over land and water use in the Utinga River Basin, located in the state of Bahia, Brazil. These conflicts have intensified in recent years due to water shortages during the driest months and the expansion of irrigated monoculture agriculture along the riverbanks. The unequal distribution of access to water and land, mediated by power relations and asymmetries in governance, lies at the core of the dispute. The research focuses on the interactions among key actors—such as the State of Bahia (especially INEMA), agribusiness representatives, smallholder farmers, Quilombola communities, and the Payayá Indigenous people—each with distinct forms of relating to land and water. Methodologically, the study adopts a mixed approach, combining spatial analysis, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and document review. The results reveal unequal access to natural resources, differentiated land and water uses (including agribusiness-driven commercial monoculture and biodiverse agroecological systems), and significant impacts on local livelihoods. Furthermore, the study identifies a plurality of knowledge systems—traditional, agroecological, and conventional—that coexist and at times clash within the basin. Thus, beyond being a distributive conflict, the dispute is also epistemological, reflecting tensions over the legitimacy and recognition of different ways of knowing and valuing nature.