If the government and the proponents of the project to divert the water of the São Francisco River admitted to the economic reasons behind the operation, the debate would be more transparent and more ethical. Camouflaging conflicting economic interests under the pretext of human thirst is intolerable as it is just a new model of manipulation of the Northeast populations in order to support another large project.

Diversion of the São Francisco River: A contradiction to the human right to water

Roberto Malvezzi*

The almost unending debate on the diversion of the water of the São Francisco River always comes back to the core issue of the human right to water.  In the end, if we agree that water is a right and that everyone has the right to water, why do we oppose the diversion of the São Francisco River? Isn’t this a contradiction? We hope that this article helps those that have the sincere concern to understand where the true incoherencies of this project lie.

The contradiction to the diversion of the São Francisco River can be found precisely in the fundamental objective of the project. Here is the issue in its essence. In sum, to what and to whom are the transported waters destined?

The response is in the “Characterization of the Project” itself, where one reads literally:

“The principal urban demands of the Setentrional Northeast are located in the following regions: the Ceará in the Jaguaribe river basin which is integrated into the metropolitan region of Fortaleza by the Worker’s Canal with 4.4 million people; in the Paraíba river basin with 1.5 million people; in the Agreste Pernambucano with 1.1 million people; and 1.3 million people in the Piranha-Acu and Apodi river basins- making up a total of 8.3 million inhabitants, close to 2/3 of whom depend on the water supply of strategic dams in the region.”

While the domestic supply could be satisfied by the existing dams, the fact is that, in some basins, the degree to which the existing multiple users already compromise their respective use of water continues to generate criticism, with the priority given to urban demands, before productive activities of the rural population and even industrial consumption.

In terms of established users asserting pressure to maintain their rights to use water, even when not solely for human consumption, the inhibition of productive activities already appears clear due to a lack of planning or because of the infeasibility of new sources of water. The conflicts tend to aggravate themselves, making the management of water complex and deterring private investment in the face of the risks involved. (Characterization of the Project 2.1.2.1 www.integracao.gov.br/)

“ The region of the project found in the area of the Polígono das Secas, in the Northeast Setentrional (part of the Semi-Arid to the North of the São Francisco River) is the area that suffers the most from the effects of prolonged droughts, including partially the states of Pernambuco Ceará, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte.  The enterprise will make it possible to supply water for various ends (human use, irrigation, water for animals, fish and shrimp farming) in a region that is home to about 12 million inhabitants.”  (Presentation of RIMA, page 3 www.integracao.gov.br/).

In terms of water for human consumption, there is no contradiction. There is already a formal declaration from the Committee of the Basin of the River of São Francisco that says, “if it is proven that there is a scarcity of water for human consumption, then the water can be transported for this purpose.”

The basic question can be found when one reads between the lines of the official discourse and undresses its real interests.  Publicly, the government and other defenders of the project justify it in the name of human thirst.  Above all, as the text of the “Characterization of the Project” already admits, water for human consumption is guaranteed: “While the domestic supply could be satisfied by the existing dams, the fact is that, in some basins, the degree to which the existing multiple users already compromise their respective use of water continues to generate criticism, with the priority given to the urban demands, placing the productive activities of the rural population and even industrial consumption in second place.”

If the government and the proponents of the project to divert the water of the São Francisco River admitted to the economic reasons behind the operation, the debate would be more transparent and more ethical. Camouflaging conflicting economic interests under the pretext of human thirst is intolerable as it is just a new model of manipulation of the Northeast populations in order to support another large project.

The project of the diversion of the waters of the São Francisco, in truth, is one complementary piece of a much bigger project that includes part of the Northeast of Brazil, but particularly, the state of Ceará.

The first piece of this larger project is the Port of Pecém, in the city of Fortaleza.  Several decades of successive governments of Ceará have implemented a risky and problematic model of development for the state. By being closer to the Northern hemisphere, the idea is that an export channel could be developed that would be much more viable and competitive to insert the northeast into the globalized market. The proximity of the Northern hemisphere would decrease the costs of exporting, and engender an advantage over the rest of the country.  

In order to transform this geographic advantage into a political reality, the Port of Pecém was constructed in the region. Also, the construction of the Trans-Northeastern highway is projected as part of the project to change the course of the waters of São Francisco, as a way to supply water for industry, irrigation, fish and shrimp farming.  However, the ocean of Ceará does not offer favorable natural conditions for a great transportation port, due to its shallowness.  Despite this, the port was constructed, and today it presents serious problems related environmental destruction, as it already has diverted maritime currents in such a way that they affect nearby beaches.  The other fundamental problem is that large ships have run aground next to the port, making its future doubtful. 

In itself the Port of Pecém is a risky industrial center.  The entire industrial complex of the Port of Pecém demands a large amount of water. If the water contained in the large dams of Ceará are destined for the industrial complex of Pecém, combined with other demands that we will describe below, then there will be a conflict over the use of water and a challenge to identify the proper justification for the project. 

A second demand for water is irrigation for agriculture. This activity demands large amounts of water, particularly if the techniques that are utilized for irrigation are predatory of water, such as central bases. However, even when used well, it requires a lot of water. For example, in order to produce one kilo of grapes, two thousand liters of water are necessary. All the irrigation of the projects of lower Jaguaribe and of the Chapada of Apodi already demand and will continue to demand more water, according to the new irrigation parameters that are being implemented.

A third demand is shrimp farming. Ceará was the pioneer in Brazil of shrimp farming, importing a model that had already failed in Ecuador and other regions of the world.  Mangroves have been destroyed by the creation of shrimp farms that demand removing families who traditionally fish in the area (fishing for shellfish, crabs, and other fish).  Furthermore, shrimp farms have led to the devastation of the vegetation of the mangroves.  The soil of the mangrove and the coverage by a hard rocky layer do not permit the infiltration of water.  In addition, the soil is cleared of all living organisms by the use of chlorine.  What follows is the major issue of the demand for water.  Studies affirm that 50 thousand litres of water are necessary in order to create a kilo of shrimp in captivity.  Since domestic hydric security demands an average of 40 litres of water per person, according to The XXI Agenda of Water, this means that in order to create one kilo of shrimp via the practice of shrimp farming, the same amount of the water could be used to supply three people for a year.

Therefore, there are no mysteries to the diversion of the São Francisco River. The growing demand for water for shrimp farming, the industrial complex of Pecém, and the irrigation of agriculture continue to create conflicts for the use of water for human consumption, which is sufficient today, but will be insufficient in the future due to the growing rural and industrial demands.

From the perspective of the human right to water, this is an inversion of values.  Our Law of Hydric Resources affirms that the priority in the use of water should be for human consumption, and for animal consumption. In prioritising economic uses, the government threatens to place the São Francisco River at risk. This project does not give priority to guarantee water for the population who lives in the semi-arid region.

The number of people to benefit by the project is unclear, even in the project’s plan.  Sometimes, they mention 8 million people, other times they mention 12 million people. However, what is clear is that the population listed as beneficiaries, including those living in the city of Fortaleza, today have enough water for domestic use, due to the water supply of the dams that store rain water, independent of the water of the São Francisco River.

On the other hand, the population truly devoid of water in the semi-arid lands (like the sertão of the Inhamuns in the Ceará, beyond the western strip of the São Francisco, including the sertões of Bahia and of the Sergipe, beyond the Piauí) will not benefit from the waters of the project. Because of this, we continue to affirm that the project “rains on those who are wet, and doesn’t wet the floor that is still dry.”

Above all, from the perspective of the human right to water, the diversion of the São Francisco River is an absolute contradiction.