The livestock sector is responsible for 60% of deforestation in Bolivia, in the very region where slash and burn practices are causing fires to rage
“Two days ago, we dispatched the first shipment of beef to China. It is a guaranteed market, so we have an obligation to take care of our cattle, to expand cattle raising, not just the quantity, but quality too”, said Bolivian President Evo Morales on 30 August in Concepción, one of the municipalities affected by the fires that have been devastating more than a million hectares of forests and pastures in Bolivia.
Throughout August, forest fires occurred in eastern Bolivia and near the border with Brazil in parts of the tropical savannah region of Chiquitania and the region of Pantana which contains the world’s largest marshlands. They were caused mainly by the practice of slash-and-burn agriculture to prepare land for planting. There were ten municipalities affected in the department of Santa Cruz.
Despite the efforts of professional firefighters and volunteers, as of 1 September it has not been possible to control the fires, which are being reactivated by strong winds and heat. However, hot spots have decreased from 8,000 to 662 in less than 10 days, according to according to government reports.
The government has been criticised for failing to request international aid to address the problem at the outset, and for having authorised the expansion of the agricultural frontier to, among other priorities, promote the export of meat to China.