Although they make up the bulk of the rural population, these farmers have little land and they are too poor to apply the best farming practices. As a result their incomes remain low, and many migrate to urban areas in search of a better way of life. Foodstuffs are imported to make up the ever-increasing shortage in the nation's food production. There is growing concern about farming hillsides, especially by small farmers who cut down the forest and grow their crops without using conservation techniques that would protect against rapid soil erosion. To make things worse, much of the eroded soil is transported by rain into rivers that carry it into expensive reservoirs built for water supply, irrigation, and hydroelectric energy systems.
Agricultural products account for two thirds of export earnings.
The rest comes largely from minerals, especially bauxite, nickel, and gold. The Dominican Republic is among the top ten gold-producing countries of the world and has the largest single gold mine in the Western Hemisphere. The income from the export of these metals is about equal to the amount spent on imported petroleum. Most of the remaining imports are manufactured goods such as machinery, chemicals, and foodstuffs. In recent years the government has made great efforts to improve the economy by stimulating the tourist industry.