Economy

Big Green Agro: the private sector companies working to save the Amazon

Amazon

Even though Jair Bolsonaro’s government plan is far from being transparent, one thing was clear from the outset: with Mr. Bolsonaro as president, we can expect the loosening of regulations concerning the protection of the Amazon rainforest. Among the most important backers of his candidacy is a significant part of the agribusiness sector, known in Brazil as the ruralistas.

These land and business owners’ objective is to further exploit the Amazon region, producing soybeans, growing cattle and mining minerals. Cattle ranching, for instance, requires large portions of land for the animals to graze. Farmers, therefore, clear vast areas to accommodate their cows and bulls. Approximately 12 percent of the Brazilian Amazon is occupied by cattle and soybean plantations. 

The Amazon Institute estimates that the rate of deforestation has grown 40 percent between August 2017...

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