Spatial Distribution and Privileged Actors in the Irrigation Law: Community Analysis of the O'Higgins Region

Abstract

The article analizes the local public expenditure of the law N° 18.450, to promote private investment in irrigation and drainage constructions, unveiling the formation of heterogeneous allocation poles in the communes of the O'Higgins region. The boost to the production of medium and large producers inserted in domestic and international markets stands out, in contrast to the insufficient contribution to small-scale agriculture, where poverty is historically concentrated. In particular, the national commitment in recent decades to position itself as an agro-export country has resulted in an increase in both the concentration of large fruit, forestry and wine companies as well as territorial conflicts, among which are water security for the human consumption and the use of hills for the expansion of monocultures of avocados, vineyards, cherry trees and olive trees. The research manages to characterize the typology of benefited actors, zoning the size of the assignments in the communes of the O'Higgins region. When reviewing the amounts, it is observed the privilege in the allocation of resources and the absence of a greater policy that articulates the support to small producers, contradicting the slogans of growth with equity of the Ministerio de Agricultura.