Agribusiness and the “Matogrossization” of Rondônia (Brazilian Amazon): Monocultures, Agrarian Conflicts, and Social Change

This article analyzes the territorial reconfiguration of Rondônia at the beginning of the 21st century, emphasizing the concept of “Matogrossization” as a framework for understanding the profound socio-spatial transformations resulting from the expansion of globalized agribusiness, particularly the associated monocultures of soy and corn. This concept refers to the diffusion of productive practices and territorial logics characteristic of Mato Grosso, applied to Rondônia, which has led to a significant restructuring of the regional agrarian space. Methodologically, the research comprised three distinct stages: bibliographic and documentary research, cartographic mapping, and fieldwork in both Rondônia and Mato Grosso. The growth of commodity production has driven territorial appropriation aimed at export markets, resulting in a “rush” for new lands in Rondônia. This process has intensified the development of peripheral agricultural regions and caused drastic changes in the Amazonian landscape, including accelerated deforestation. It has also deepened rural conflicts over land and territory, highlighting the resistance of peasant communities and Amazonian peoples. Demographically, there is a decline in the rural population and an increase in urban growth, driven by migration from the countryside to the cities, evidencing socio-economic transformations and spatial reorganization. The concept of “matogrossization” explains this new territorial logic, which reconfigures land use to connect Rondônia to global agribusiness.