Worse still, poverty and abject poverty are on the rise. It is expected to continue to be the main economic sector in the coming years. Between 80,000 hectares and 100,000 hectares a year, principally of broad-leafed forests, are cut down as a result of uncontrolled logging, expansion of the agricultural frontier, and extensive cattle farming. However, much of this land, particularly the broad-leaved forests, has already been cleared and is being used for marginal crop farming and extensive livestock farming which cannot be maintained over the long term. Today, sustainable development is a great challenge for ecological and economic planning in Honduras and in all of Central America.
Sustainable development involves a complex set of issues which touch all sectors of society.
In view of the current context in Honduras and the need to take a comprehensive, long-term approach to sustainable development, PAGS is seen as a forum for coordination. It facilitates discussion and is a catalyst for action to enable Honduras to devise a coherent policy framework for the sustainable management of renewable natural resources and to implement those policies in a coordinated fashion. Others will be identified as the annual work plans are prepared. PAGS is thus a point of reference for fostering dialogue, coordination, and cooperation among the different players with interests in the sustainable management of natural resources. Its goal is to reconcile those interests in order to develop a concerted vision of sustainable development.