The installation of hydropower has been increasing in the Amazon region of Brazil, similarly have been observed the growth of agricultural occupation in Amazonian soils. The suppression of lands and the alteration of the flow of water from the installation of hydroelectric projects have altered the dynamics of the territories due to diverse aspects such as resettlement, migration, real estate speculation e etc. The focus of this study was to analyze, in a specific way, possible relationships between the extent of floods suffered by hydroelectric power plants and the agricultural production of affected municipalities. For this purpose it was chosen for a case study of the municipality of Porto Velho where the hydropower plants of Jirau and Santo Antônio were installed. The municipality of Porto velho is in the state of Rondônia that is part of the Amazonian territory in Brazil. The site was chosen because both hydroelectric plants have already started operation and the subsidies and incentives provided by the hydroelectric projects are already in the finalization phase. Thus, the semi-structured interviews method was used to understand if the hydroelectric plants had a significant effect on agriculture and whether this effect was positive or negative on the sector. To study the phenomenon were interviewed: the relocated families, representatives of the municipal and state agriculture department, representatives of outsourced companies that worked for the hydroelectric plants and representatives of EMATER (State Technical Assistance and Rural Extension State of Rondônia). From the interviews it was proposed a tabulation of the results that sought to understand if there was any impact on six sessions of the agricultural sector: rural credit supply / access, property register, quantity produced, diversity of products produced, technology and inputs employed and quality of ground. For each group of interviewees there was a script of interviews that contemplated these sessions, and from them was analyzed whether or not there was some change in this context in the municipality of Rondônia. Preliminary analyzes indicate that there is an improvement in the supply of technology and inputs, with the installation of hydroelectric plants, many properties are registered and consequently there is an increase in the supply of rural credit, there is not a significant effect on the diversity of products, but , there is an apparent increase in the amount of production, especially cassava, most of the soils are arable in the municipality, however the soils of families living on the edge of the Madeira River are naturally more fertile. Therefore, it was concluded that the hydroelectric plant brought benefits by investing in technology, inputs and property records, but mobilized people adapted to the production of subsistence for paid agricultural activity, consequently generating a conflict, since the local culture is not yet fully adapted to manage everything the enterprise has provided. Because of this conflict of interest, it can be inferred that the impact of the hydroelectric plant on agriculture in the region may not have been as significant as it could be.
Key words: amazon, hydropower, agriculture
