IMPACTS OF DROUGHTS IN THE NORTHERN MESOREGION OF MINAS GERAIS AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

Abstract

Drought-related climate phenomena have been intensifying, bringing significant consequences and impacting various sectors, particularly agriculture, livestock, water supply, tourism, and all aspects of human life. Accordingly, this research focused on analyzing the impacts of droughts on water resources and agriculture in different municipalities of the northern mesoregion of Minas Gerais, comparing them and investigating their vulnerabilities to such events. To achieve this, the study involved an analysis of state and federal water use permits for surface and groundwater irrigation, as well as their correlation with the harvested areas of temporary and permanent crops. It also included an assessment of the vulnerability index to natural disasters related to droughts. The results showed that municipalities with lower vulnerability, such as Buritizeiro, recorded high volumes of water withdrawal for irrigation and were able to maintain agricultural productivity even under severe drought conditions. In contrast, others with greater vulnerability, such as Januária, experienced significant impacts on agricultural production despite increasing water withdrawal. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that water resource management remains a major challenge, and it is imperative to develop adaptation policies that mitigate the impacts of droughts.