• Rice, maize, and cassava crops cumulatively account for approximately 11% of total global deforestation-exceeding that of cocoa, coffee, and rubber-according to an analysis between 2001 and 2022, published in Nature Food. • These staple crops should not be overlooked in global efforts to reduce deforestation, the authors argue.
Article Summaries:
- A new study published in Nature Food estimates that rice, maize and cassava together drive about 11 % of global deforestation from 2001 to 2022-more than the combined impact of cocoa, coffee and rubber. The analysis, covering two decades of land‑use change, shows that these staple crops account for a larger share of forest loss than many high‑profile cash crops. The authors argue that global efforts to curb deforestation must therefore include measures to manage the expansion of staple crop production, not just focus on traditional timber and commodity sectors.
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