Deforestation: Interdependency of Fuelwood and Agriculture

Forests, vital to maintaining environmental stability and the fuelwood and other wood needs of society, are disappearing at an alarming rate throughout the world. Agricultural expansion into about 10 million hectares of new land accounts for most of the 11.6 million hectares of forest land being lost each year. The most promising policy to reduce deforestation and increase food supplies is to double crop yields over the next 2 to 3 decades on the most productive agricultural lands. This would require successful control of soil erosion plus the increased use of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs that help increase crop yield.