The Pantanal in hydric crisis

the impact of water scarcity on the rural livelihood of a community in Mato Grosso

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35416/2025.10999

Keywords:

Traditional community, Water crisis, Pantanal, Environmental crisis, Small Hydroelectric Plant

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the water crisis in Mimoso-MT, a traditional community in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso, aiming to analyze the socio-environmental impacts of water scarcity on local ways of life and to understand the relationships between changes in the hydrological regime and peasant practices. The study sought to identify residents’ perceptions of the water crisis and forest fires, assess transformations in the landscape and water resources of Chacororé Bay, and discuss the relevance of participatory and sustainable management. The research combined a literature review with semi-structured interviews with residents. The results indicate key concerns related to the water crisis, fires, dams, and territorial disputes. Human interventions in water flow, such as the Manso Hydropower Plant and Small Hydropower Plants, intensified water scarcity and affected wildlife. The study concludes that sustainable and inclusive management of natural resources is necessary.

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Author Biographies

  • Fernando Lino Pardinho de Souza, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso

    I hold a bachelor's degree and a licentiate in Geography from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), completed in 2009. Currently, I am at a crucial stage of my academic journey as a Master's student in the Graduate Program in Geography at UFMT. During this period, I have the honor of working as a researcher in the Research Group on Agrarian Geography and Biodiversity Conservation (Geca UFMT). My Master's research project, titled Geography Teaching for Farmers in Youth and Adult Education (EJA): Reflections on the Water Crisis and the Risk of Forest Fires in the Traditional Community of Mimoso-Pantanal, is part of the larger research project Water Crisis and Forest Fires in the Brazilian Pantanal: Socio-Environmental Impacts and Resilience Alternatives for Traditional Pantanal Communities.

  • Onélia Carmem Rossetto, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso

    Holds a degree in Licentiate and Bachelor's in Geography from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (1986), a Master's in Education - Research Line: Education and Environment from the Federal University of Mato Grosso (1997), and a Ph.D. in Sustainable Development from the University of Brasília - Center for Sustainable Development (UnB-CDS), research line: Environmental Policy and Management (2004). Currently, she is an Associate Researcher in the Graduate Program in Geography (PPGEO) at the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT); Researcher in the Agricultural Geography and Biodiversity Conservation Research Group (GECA/UFMT). From 2004 to 2012, she coordinated projects at the Pantanal Research Center (CPP) and the National Institute of Science and Technology for Wetlands (INAU), focusing on socio-environmental and economic aspects of the Brazilian Pantanal. Between 2018 and 2019, she participated in the projects: Learning Assessment for Inclusive Green Economy (IGE): Mato Grosso, Brazil and Development of a Methodology to Support Environmental Regularization and a Pilot Project in a Rural Settlement of the National Land Credit Program in Mato Grosso, both supported by the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) – an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – as well as the Solidarity Cooperation Network of Mato Grosso (RECOOPSOL). She works in the following areas: Agrarian Geography; Environmental Policy and Management; Environmental Education; and Local Sustainable Development.

References

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Published

2025-12-28

How to Cite

The Pantanal in hydric crisis: the impact of water scarcity on the rural livelihood of a community in Mato Grosso. Geografia em Atos (Online), Presidente Prudente, v. 9, n. 00, p. e025022, 2025. DOI: 10.35416/2025.10999. Disponível em: https://revista.fct.unesp.br/index.php/geografiaematos/article/view/10999. Acesso em: 11 mar. 2026.

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