Spring 2015 Seminar Series: Leah VanWey

Rapid expansion of Brazil's intensive agricultural system for soybean production provides important lessons for increasing food production and economic growth while limiting deforestation. Leah K. VanWey, associate professor of sociology and environment and society at Brown University, deputy director for research in the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, and associate director of the Population Studies and Training Center, presents the results of econometric models showing the biophysical and economic drivers of expansion of soy and soy-corn agricultural systems across the state of Mato Grosso from 2001 to 2013. Among the findings: dynamic agricultural expansion and abandonment as a result of year-to-year variation in climate. These climate impacts on land abandonment can result in production losses as important as the losses from climate impacts on agricultural yields.This talk is part of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the University Program in Environmental Policy seminar series featuring leading experts discussing a variety of pressing environmentally focused topics.