Water use in mining: a limiting factor for food production by peasant agriculture in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

In the Santa Quitéria municipality, Brazil, a uranium and phosphate mine will be implemented,
which will require a large amount of water, seriously affecting the availability of the resource for
local peasant populations. How much food farmers could produce with the water that the mine
would use in its operation was calculated. Considering the period of drought that is traversing
the Brazilian northeast and according to the consumption of the minimum essential ration,
peasant agriculture could produce food for more than 21,000 people per year. However, considering
the current consumption of the population of the Northeast, this amount would amount
to more than 42,000 people. These data are extremely important to contribute to a responsible
decision-making by the State, and to favor those activities that really contribute to the economic
and social development of the region.