ABSTRACT
Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) is one of the largest agricultural producing and exporting states in Brazil. Despite its economic relevance, biomes of MS include the Pantanal wetland, the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna), which are part of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Some social characteristics differentiate MS from the other states, such as the presence of many vulnerable communities (e.g., the second largest indigenous population in the country, quilombola communities (descendants of former African slaves) and several rural settlements). Even having several river systems that belong to two important watersheds, the Paraná and Paraguay Basins, the state is highly groundwater-dependent. The objectives of this chapter are to discuss the importance of groundwater for the development of MS and to broaden the debate about groundwater management in the state. Here, we propose a more inclusive groundwater governance agenda, considering the representativeness of all stakeholders, in particular the vulnerable communities. In order to do that, we introduce background on the state’s water resources, emphasising on the groundwater resources, their characteristics and different uses and end-users. Social aspects, economic activities, environmental problems and conflicts are presented and further discussed focusing on the resilience to climate and environmental change, in addition to challenges that the region might face in order to move towards sustainable development and promoting equitable and accountable growth.
