Big projects, small choices: notes about demobilization in farmer contexts in the semi-arid region of the State of Rio Grande do Norte (RN)

Abstract

Through the rhetoric of development, large projects have been installed in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, which cause deep changes and rearrangements in the sense of life shared by local populations. This article aims to understand the demobilization issue as a phenomenon produced in the context of two socio-environmental conflicts in the State of RN: the first one refers to the arrival of the green revolution, whose landmark is the construction of Armando Ribeiro Gonçalves dam, the largest dam of the state; the second one involves the contemporary case of installation of wind power parks in the area known as Costa Branca, RN’s north coast. The scenario of those conflicts is located in the western region of the State, which concentrates the main activities of primary economy and is highly integrated to the commodities market. The data analyzed in this study refer to the perception of students of the Interdisciplinary Degree Course in Rural Education at the Federal University of the Semi-Arid Region (Ledoc/Ufersa), who are native from the rural communities directly impacted by these projects  are able to estimate their losses, inconveniences and constraints through little considerations in studies on the subject.