The project researched the impact of agricultural expansion and external trade on the sustainable use and management of tropical forests. The principle objectives were to analyse factors leading to the clearance of tropical forests for agricultural use, as well as technical and policy approaches to reduce the pressures on forests.
The project was executed in two phases. Phase I included a review of literature and consultations with specialists to identify gaps in existing knowledge and to shed light on the relationships between deforestation and agricultural policies and practices. Phase II included case studies and the preparation of country reports. Research teams were set up in Brazil, Cameroon, China, Guatemala and Malaysia. In each country, research commenced with the preparation of overview papers based on a review of existing literature.
The project was carried out in collaboration with WWF-International. In Brazil: Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais, São Paulo. In Cameroon: independent researchers. In China: Stanford University, USA. In Guatemala: independent researchers. In Malaysia: Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.