The agrarian space of the Brazilian semi-arid region: the dichotomies between the space of irrigated agriculture and the space of traditional agriculture

There is a relevant debate in the literature regarding the influence of the State in the production of space. The State was the main agent of the production of the agrarian space in the Brazilian semi-arid region, which is characterised by the territorialisation of two contrasting food systems: the irrigated productive model and the traditional family farming model. This study investigates the extent to which the spatial and sectoral selectivity of public policies has interfered in dichotomous agrarian space. The agrarian space is analysed on two spatial scales, the municipal and the local. On the municipal scale, we have selected the municipalities of Petrolina and Casa Nova. The local scale, by contrast, refers to spatial fragments of these municipalities, where food systems spatially manifest themselves (modern irrigated and traditional rainfed agriculture). The results show that until 1980, public policies favoured the development and consolidation of modern irrigated agriculture in selected spatial fragments. This was due to public investments in irrigation, transport, communication and energy infrastructure, facilitated access to land, technical assistance and agronomic engineering services. From 1990 onwards, policies have become inclusive, aimed at the Family Farmers social group. Policies have entailed local solutions for access to water, contextualised technical assistance, alternative markets, income stabilisation for family farmers and improvement in food production and consumption. However, despite the inclusion of family farming in the agrarian structure, imbalances of power remain among the food systems, highlighting the great contradiction brought about by these public policies.