This study examines the adoption of sustainable agriculture by farmers in Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rond nia, a settlement in the Brazilian Amazon. The major source of deforestation in this region is the use of slash-and burn agriculture by small scale farmers. Heckman model are used in this paper to estimate the probability that farmers in Ouro Preto do Oeste will adopt sustainable agriculture.
Imperfect information appears to be the main deterrent to the adoption of sustainable agriculture.
In addition, farmer characteristics such as education level are found to play a role in the adoption decision. These results suggest that policies, which provide information about sustainable agriculture and support local farm organizations, can greatly increase the diffusion of sustainable agriculture in Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rond nia and similar settlements in the Amazon.