Rainfed Areas in the Pontal Public Irrigation Project, Petrolina, Brazil: Social Inclusion and Sustainability in Public Irrigation Policies

The Rainfed Areas of the Pontal Public Irrigation Project (PPI), located in the municipality of Petrolina, Pernambuco, represent a paradigm shift in the implementation of public irrigation projects in the Brazilian Semi-arid region. This initiative is innovative within the scope of the Public Irrigation Projects developed by the São Francisco and Parnaíba Valleys Development Company (Codevasf) and was conceived as a strategy to mitigate the social impacts resulting from the expropriation of rural properties required for the implementation of the irrigated scheme. The model is based on a differentiated land tenure, economic, and socio-environmental organization, grounded in guided land occupation, land tenure regularization, and shared institutional management. This article analyzes how the adoption of a planned socioeconomic intervention enabled the creation and consolidation of Rainfed Areas within a project originally designed for irrigated agriculture. The analysis considers the results accumulated over approximately ten years of implementation, demonstrating that, despite punctual non-compliances observed in part of the production units, the model has consolidated itself as a successful experience of social inclusion, income generation, and sustainable use of natural resources. The results indicate positive impacts on improving the living conditions of beneficiary families, diversifying productive activities, and strengthening sustainable territorial development, in line with the ONU (United Nations) 2030 Agenda and the ODS (Sustainable Development Goals), particularly SDGs 1, 2, 10, and 15. It is concluded that the replication of this model is feasible and desirable, provided it is accompanied by institutional improvements.