Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Rondônia, Brazil: An In-Depth Exploration of Deforestation.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Rondônia, Brazil:

Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Rondônia, Brazil:

An In-Depth Exploration of Deforestation

An In-Depth Exploration of Deforestation

Leslie Briggs, Genevieve Oles, Katie Crosby

Global Total Forest AreasGlobal Total Forest Areas

Brazil


AmazoniaAmazonia

• The South American Amazon, the world’s largest tropically forested area, is hugely rich in biodiversity.– One square kilometer = 90,000 tons of living

plants

– nearly 90 percent of all deforestation in tropical

regions has taken place since 1970

• The South American Amazon, the world’s largest tropically forested area, is hugely rich in biodiversity.– One square kilometer = 90,000 tons of living

plants

– nearly 90 percent of all deforestation in tropical

regions has taken place since 1970


Operation AmazoniaOperation Amazonia

• Government settlement program

• Good intentions• Amazonia = empty frontier• could be consolidated

under Brazilian national sovereignty

• =opportunity for millions of poor and landless people

• Government settlement program

• Good intentions• Amazonia = empty frontier• could be consolidated

under Brazilian national sovereignty

• =opportunity for millions of poor and landless people


Causes of Deforestation in the AmazonCauses of Deforestation in the Amazon

•Small-scale, subsistence agriculture, 33%•Cattle ranches, 60%

http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html


The Brazilian AmazonThe Brazilian Amazon

• 17.1 percent of forest area has been lost

• roughly 10 to 12 percent is estimated to be gone forever

• 17.1 percent of forest area has been lost

• roughly 10 to 12 percent is estimated to be gone forever


RondôniaRondônia

Rondônia

Brazil


RondôniaRondônia

• The Brazilian state most affected by these deforestation trends is Rondônia

• Rondônia is currently attempting to reverse these deforestation trends through – sustainable land use – cutting edge agricultural techniques

• The Brazilian state most affected by these deforestation trends is Rondônia

• Rondônia is currently attempting to reverse these deforestation trends through – sustainable land use – cutting edge agricultural techniques


Calculating Deforestation RatesCalculating Deforestation Rates• …develop detailed maps of the rate and

geographical extent of deforestation in tropical rainforests and thus to document the location and expansion of deforestation over time– Satellite remote sensors – Agricultural census reports

• …develop detailed maps of the rate and geographical extent of deforestation in tropical rainforests and thus to document the location and expansion of deforestation over time– Satellite remote sensors – Agricultural census reports


Environmentally Safe AlternativesEnvironmentally Safe Alternatives

• Swidden agriculture

• A shifting cultivation technique

• Agroforestry

• Swidden agriculture

• A shifting cultivation technique

• Agroforestry

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/


Sustainability in Tropical FarmingSustainability in Tropical Farming

• reducing environmental cost per unit of private benefit – Eg. decreasing turnover or increasing farm income

per hectare of deforested land

• increasing private costs of environmental destruction – Eg. internalizing the social costs of deforestation

• decreasing the private cost of alternatives that would cause less environmental damage, such as alternative tropical farming technologies

• reducing environmental cost per unit of private benefit – Eg. decreasing turnover or increasing farm income

per hectare of deforested land

• increasing private costs of environmental destruction – Eg. internalizing the social costs of deforestation

• decreasing the private cost of alternatives that would cause less environmental damage, such as alternative tropical farming technologies


• “Amazon deforestation will only be curbed if sound economic policies reward farmers for staying where they are and reverse incentives to move on.”

• “Amazon deforestation will only be curbed if sound economic policies reward farmers for staying where they are and reverse incentives to move on.”

Sustainable Settlement in the Brazilian Amazon, 75


Extractive ReserveExtractive Reserve

• Local communities own/control the harvesting of forest product

• “…establish[es] a form of communal ownership that permits people to manage the forest without destroying it.”

• …but is it an economically sound alternative?

• Local communities own/control the harvesting of forest product

• “…establish[es] a form of communal ownership that permits people to manage the forest without destroying it.”

• …but is it an economically sound alternative?

Deforestation and Land Use in the Amazon, 29


The Need For IncentivesThe Need For Incentives

• “...research in Rondonia suggests that the majority of Rondonia’s farmers would integrate agroforestry into their farms if certain impediments to doing so were alleviated. Income generation is an important variable in land use decisions...”

• “...research in Rondonia suggests that the majority of Rondonia’s farmers would integrate agroforestry into their farms if certain impediments to doing so were alleviated. Income generation is an important variable in land use decisions...”



Education and Overall AwarenessEducation and Overall Awareness

• “The most significant variable determining the farmer’s probability of adopting sustainable agriculture is the farmer’s knowledge that sustainable agriculture exists.”

• “The most significant variable determining the farmer’s probability of adopting sustainable agriculture is the farmer’s knowledge that sustainable agriculture exists.”



In ConclusionIn Conclusion

• Sustainable agriculture in Rondônia will require: – Incentives for implementing new agricultural

technologies – Education and awareness– Governmental support; i.e. less turnover of

land and less development

• Sustainable agriculture in Rondônia will require: – Incentives for implementing new agricultural

technologies – Education and awareness– Governmental support; i.e. less turnover of

land and less development


Works CitedWorks Cited

• "Amazon Deforestation." World Wildlife Fund. 10 Mar. 2006. World Wildlife Fund. 2 Apr. 2006 <http://www.panda.org>.

• "Amazon Rainforest." Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia. 1 Apr. 2006. Wikipedia Encyclopedia. 2 Apr. 2006 <http://www.wikipedia.com>.

• Carvalho, Georgia O., and Daniel Nepstad. "Frontier Expansion in the Amazon: Balancing Developments and Sustainability." Environment 44 (2002): 3. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil and Sustainability.

• Caviglia-Harris, Jill L. "Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Rondonia, Brazil: Do Local Farmer Organizations Affect Adoption Rates?" Economic Development and Cultural Change 52.1 (2003): 23+. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Brazil.

• Caviglia, Jill L., and James R. Kahn. "Diffusion of Sustainable Agriculture in the Brazilian Tropical Rain Forest: A Discrete Choice Analysis." Economic Development and Cultural Change 49 (2001): 311-333. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Chomitz, Kenneth M., and Timothy S. Thomas. "Determinants of Land Use in Amazonia: A Fine Scale Spatial Analysis." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 85 (2003): 1016-1029. University of Michigan Search Tools. University of Michigan. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation and Brazil.

• Eden, Michael J. Ecology and Land Management in Amazonia. London: Belhaven P, 1990. • Fearnside, Philip M. "Deforestation of Amazonia." Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and

Human Society. Ed. Andrew S. Goudie. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002.• Hall, Anthony. Sustaining Amazonia; Grassroots Action for Productive Conservation. Manchester: Manchester UP,

1997.

• "Amazon Deforestation." World Wildlife Fund. 10 Mar. 2006. World Wildlife Fund. 2 Apr. 2006 <http://www.panda.org>.

• "Amazon Rainforest." Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia. 1 Apr. 2006. Wikipedia Encyclopedia. 2 Apr. 2006 <http://www.wikipedia.com>.

• Carvalho, Georgia O., and Daniel Nepstad. "Frontier Expansion in the Amazon: Balancing Developments and Sustainability." Environment 44 (2002): 3. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil and Sustainability.

• Caviglia-Harris, Jill L. "Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Rondonia, Brazil: Do Local Farmer Organizations Affect Adoption Rates?" Economic Development and Cultural Change 52.1 (2003): 23+. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Brazil.

• Caviglia, Jill L., and James R. Kahn. "Diffusion of Sustainable Agriculture in the Brazilian Tropical Rain Forest: A Discrete Choice Analysis." Economic Development and Cultural Change 49 (2001): 311-333. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Chomitz, Kenneth M., and Timothy S. Thomas. "Determinants of Land Use in Amazonia: A Fine Scale Spatial Analysis." American Journal of Agricultural Economics 85 (2003): 1016-1029. University of Michigan Search Tools. University of Michigan. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation and Brazil.

• Eden, Michael J. Ecology and Land Management in Amazonia. London: Belhaven P, 1990. • Fearnside, Philip M. "Deforestation of Amazonia." Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and

Human Society. Ed. Andrew S. Goudie. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002.• Hall, Anthony. Sustaining Amazonia; Grassroots Action for Productive Conservation. Manchester: Manchester UP,

1997.


Works Cited (continued)Works Cited (continued)

• Jordan, Carl F., ed. Amazonian Rain Forests; Ecosystem Disturbance and Recovery. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1987.

• Oliver, Chadwick D., Melih Boydak, and Roger A. Sedjo. "Deforestation." Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and Human Society. Ed. Andrew S. Goudie. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002.

• Ozorio De Almeida, Anna L., and Joao S. Campari. Sustainble Settlement in the Brazilian Amazon. New York: Oxford UP Inc., 1995.

• Perz, Stephen G. "Are Agricultural Production and Forest Conservation Compatible? Agricultural Diversity, Agricultural Incomes, and Primary Forest Cover Among Small Farm Colonists in the Amazon." World Development 32 (2004): 957-977. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Perz, Stephen G. "Social Determinants and Land Use Correlates of Agricultural Technology Adoption in a Forest Frontier: A Case Study in the Brazilian Amazon." Human Ecology 31.1 (2003): 133-151. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Robock, Stefan H. Brazil: A Study and Development Progress. Lexington: Lexington Books, 1975. • Skolie, D L., W H. Chomentowski, W A. Salas, and A D. Nobre. "Phsyical and Human Dimensions of

Deforestation in Amazonia." Bioscience 44.5 (1994): 314-323. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation.

• "The Economy Booms, the Trees Vanish: Growing Deforestation in Amazon, Brazil and Government Policies for Sustinable Forestry." Global Agenda (2005). University of Michigan Search Tools. University of Michigan. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation and Brazil.

• Wood, Charles H., and Roberto Porro, eds. Deforesation and Land Use in the Amazon. Gainesville: University P of Florida, 2002.

• Jordan, Carl F., ed. Amazonian Rain Forests; Ecosystem Disturbance and Recovery. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1987.

• Oliver, Chadwick D., Melih Boydak, and Roger A. Sedjo. "Deforestation." Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and Human Society. Ed. Andrew S. Goudie. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002.

• Ozorio De Almeida, Anna L., and Joao S. Campari. Sustainble Settlement in the Brazilian Amazon. New York: Oxford UP Inc., 1995.

• Perz, Stephen G. "Are Agricultural Production and Forest Conservation Compatible? Agricultural Diversity, Agricultural Incomes, and Primary Forest Cover Among Small Farm Colonists in the Amazon." World Development 32 (2004): 957-977. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Perz, Stephen G. "Social Determinants and Land Use Correlates of Agricultural Technology Adoption in a Forest Frontier: A Case Study in the Brazilian Amazon." Human Ecology 31.1 (2003): 133-151. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Agriculture and Brazil.

• Robock, Stefan H. Brazil: A Study and Development Progress. Lexington: Lexington Books, 1975. • Skolie, D L., W H. Chomentowski, W A. Salas, and A D. Nobre. "Phsyical and Human Dimensions of

Deforestation in Amazonia." Bioscience 44.5 (1994): 314-323. ProQuest. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation.

• "The Economy Booms, the Trees Vanish: Growing Deforestation in Amazon, Brazil and Government Policies for Sustinable Forestry." Global Agenda (2005). University of Michigan Search Tools. University of Michigan. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 8 Mar. 2006. Keyword: Deforestation and Brazil.

• Wood, Charles H., and Roberto Porro, eds. Deforesation and Land Use in the Amazon. Gainesville: University P of Florida, 2002.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Rondônia, Brazil: An In-Depth Exploration of Deforestation.

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