Socioeconomic and Demographic Changes in Rural Development in the State of Minas Gerais—Brazil—A Case Study in Two Traditional Rural Quilombola Communities in the Municipality of Rio Espera

Rural areas in Brazil, like many parts of the Global South, face profound socioeconomic and demographic transformations, including depopulation, aging populations, and infrastructural deficits. These challenges are particularly acute for traditional communities such as quilombolas—descendants of Afro-Brazilian maroons—whose territorial rights and cultural survival remain vulnerable. This study examines socioeconomic and demographic changes in two traditional quilombola communities—Moreiras and Buraco do Paiol—in the municipality of Rio Espera, Minas Gerais, and their interaction with rural development policies. Using a mixed-methods approach combining census data (IBGE 2022), geoprocessing (QGIS, MapBiomas), and fieldwork—including semi-structured interviews with 16 households and community leaders—we analyze population trends, land use dynamics, access to services, and local strategies of resistance. Results reveal a dual dynamic: structural pressures such as youth outmigration, aging, and inadequate infrastructure coexist with endogenous resilience strategies, including agroecological farming, productive diversification, and cultural revitalization through festivals and community associations. Programs such as the Food Acquisition Program (PAA) and National School Feeding Program (PNAE) have provided critical support, but their impact is amplified by community ownership and participation. We conclude that sustainable rural development in quilombola territories depends on integrating context-sensitive public policies with endogenous social, productive, and cultural dynamics. This calls for a territorialized, participatory approach that recognizes quilombola communities not merely as beneficiaries, but as agents of sustainable development.