Solar energy and sustainable development in the Semiarid: the challenge of the public politics integration

The bureaucratic organization of the State follows a logic of sectorial fragmentation and, like in the Academy, knowledge tends to be built according to disciplinary frames. Specialization helps to address some challenges better, but tends to be limited when dealing with complex problems that require greater integration. Sectorial public policies sometimes result in zero-sum games when they interact with other intervention axes. This study explores the idea of integrating social, economic and environmental policies towards energy, with focus on the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil. Based on the Nexus approach, which integrates water, energy and food security, and sees water as a natural resource common to these three aspects, this study proposes the production of photovoltaic energy by family farmers as a way to promote positive synergies of social, environmental and economic policies. (author)