Soy Farmers and Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado

A study of soy farmers in Brazil's Matopiba region finds that land-use decisions are driven by profit and legal permissiveness rather than sustainability, leading to the erasure of the biodiverse Cerrado savanna. The authors conclude that voluntary conservation efforts are insufficient and that strict regulatory enforcement and supply-chain requirements are necessary to prevent further deforestation.

• A study of 24 soy farmers in Tocantins State, within the Matopiba agricultural frontier, indicates that farmer behavior is driven by economic rationale rather than environmental sustainability. While farmers often occupy degraded pastures due to low land prices, they also clear native vegetation for soy planting with little restraint, feeling entitled to open new areas based on economic means and motivation. Some farmers engage in pre-emptive deforestation to avoid potential future regulations.
• The authors suggest that voluntary behavioral changes, such as adopting 'best practices' or focusing on existing open areas, are unlikely to conserve the Cerrado. Instead, they argue that the most promising pathways are increased regulatory stringency, better enforcement of public policies to restrict deforestation rights, and stricter requirements from supply-chain actors for conversion-free soy.
• Soy expansion is a primary driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Cerrado, a biodiverse savanna that provides critical hydrological functions and significant underground carbon storage, yet remains largely unprotected with much of its vegetation on private farms where clearing is legal.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2022). Soy Farmers and Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado. https://www.sei.org/publications/soy-farmers-deforestation-in-brazils-cerrado/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Soy Farmers and Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado. 2022. https://www.sei.org/publications/soy-farmers-deforestation-in-brazils-cerrado/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Soy Farmers and Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado |date=23 December 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/soy-farmers-deforestation-in-brazils-cerrado/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2022soy, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Soy Farmers and Deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/soy-farmers-deforestation-in-brazils-cerrado/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }