A widespread belief among development and forest researchers and practitioners holds that technological progress in tropical agriculture is good for forest conservation. Higher yield enables farmers to produce the same amount of food on less agricultural land. The alternative view suggests that p...
Staver, Charles
,
Jong, W. de
,
Kaimowitz, D.
,
[Nicaragua's frontier: the Bosawas biosphere reserve]
,
Nicaragua's frontier: the Bosawas biosphere reserve
Economic theory and empirical evidence suggest that building or improving roads near forests encourage forest clearing for land speculation, agriculture and other activities. Policies used to mitigate the dangers of forest road projects have failed in many countries. Practically all countries now...
This chapter spells out the theoretical framework for the discussion and case studies of the book. First, it provides precise definitions of technological change and classify technological change into different types based on their factor intensities. The discussion starts off with a single farm ...
Angelsen, A.
,
Soest, D.P. van
,
Kaimowitz, D.
,
Bulte, E.
,
[Technological change and deforestation: a theoretical overview]
,
Technological change and deforestation: a theoretical overview
This introductory chapter sets the scene for the discussion in the edited volume on how new agricultural affects tropical forests. It critically reviews four hypotheses that have been central in the claim that better technologies help protect forests: the Borlaug, the subsistence, the economic de...
Angelsen, A.
,
Kaimowitz, D.
,
[Introduction: the role of agricultural technologies in tropical deforestation]
,
Introduction: the role of agricultural technologies in tropical deforestation