Abstract:
Due to local climatic characteristics, water availability in the semi-arid region, a large territory that covers more than one thousand and four hundred municipalities in Brazil, is comparatively low. Initiatives by the federal public authorities to alleviate the consequences of low availability on the population include large water infrastructure works and small interventions. This study has two central objectives, first, to describe, and briefly analyze possible benefits and limitations, of relevant water infrastructure projects (the transposition of the São Francisco) and recent government programs (cisterns and Operation Carro-Pipa). Additionally, considerations on such initiatives are combined with a relatively neglected topic within the scope of these policies: articulation. No significative evidence of articulation amongst public policies considered in this study were identified. From 2019 onwards, some positive evidence emerged about the intention, by federal authorities, to encourage greater coordination of water initiatives for the semi-arid region.