Deforestation in Borneo.

AGRICULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST

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Every year thousands of miles of rainforest are destroyed for agricultural use. The two main groups responsible for converting rainforest into farmland are poor farmers and corporations,

Poor farmers in many parts of the world rely on clearing rainforest to feed their families. Without access to better agricultural lands, these people use slash-and-burn to clear patches of forest for short-term periods of time. Typically, they farm the cleared land for a couple of years before the soil is exhausted of nutrients and they must move on to new patch of forest.

Agricultural companies are clearing more rainforest than ever before, especially in the Amazon where large tracts of rainforest are being converted into soybean farms. Some experts believe that South America will someday have an area of farmland that rivals that of the American Midwest. Much of this farmland will come at the expense of the Amazon rainforest.

Why are biofuels bad for rainforests? | Why is palm oil bad for rainforests? | Why is soy bad for the Amazon rainforest

• About rainforests
• Rainforest animals
• Rainforest people
• Why are rainforests important?
• Why are rainforests disappearing?
• How can we save rainforests?