Resiliência da ação pública democrática em tempos de crise: examinando as políticas de alimentos e recursos hídricos no Brasil

Abstract

Since the mid-2010s, a regression in several public policies has been observed. This process has intensified after the election of Jair Bolsonaro. The dismantling strategies and attacks on democratic institutions have been analyzed by a growing literature, while the resilience of state bureaucracies, political actors, and the political regime have been ovelooked. Based on a case study in the Northeastern semi-arid region, this article analyzes two interrelated policies involving the participation of non-state actors: i) water governance in the São Francisco River basin and ii) access to water and agroecological food products. The study shows that although the degree of institutionalization is a factor of stability, this does not prevent changes or dismantling. It also highlights the capacity of informal policy networks to establish implementation alternatives and coalitions to resist change and promote new policy responses.

Keywords

• Brazil
• populism
• food security
• policy dismantling
• water resources