Behind the Green Curtain: Agribusiness Narratives of Sustainability in Western Bahia

This papers concerns an ethnographic study conducted at the 18th Bahia Farm Show, aimed to analyze the discourses of agribusiness actors in Western Bahia, Brazil, regarding natural resource use, particularly water, for agricultural production, as well as the epistemic communities that justify and promote such discourses. The fieldwork was executed from June 10th to June 14th 2024. The event is the self-proclaimed "largest agricultural technology and business fair of Northern and Northeastern Brazil", which takes place in the city Luis Eduardo Magalhães, in the state of Bahia's Western region. Known for its steep economic growth, the agricultural frontier region has faced increasing environmental conflicts due to perceived water depletion. The native population of the region alongside with environmentalist and social movements have been accusing the agribusiness farmers, who usually come from Southern Brazil or other countries, of overexploiting the water resources through center pivot irrigation. The research revealed a dominant "techno-optimistic" or "techno-enthusiastic" discourse among agribusiness actors. They assert that their practices, allegedly driven by advanced science and technology, would be already environmentally sustainable. This includes the use of no-tillage, irrigation, socio-environmental projects, and biological pesticides. The event's official agenda reinforced this perspective, featuring panels with scientists and experts asserting that the Western Bahian agribusiness would be pioneer in adopting the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework in Brazil. Beyond discourse, the ethnographic study observed hyperbolic symbols that demonstrated the significant economic and political influence of agribusiness in the region, such as big agricultural machinery, 4.0 agricultural technology, and the display of billion-dollar investment figures made at the fair. These symbols and the discourse, based on the scientific expertise, serve to reinforce the sector's dominance and its ability to shape narratives surrounding sustainability and resource management.