Complex relationships between large-scale land acquisitions, deforestation, and land zoning policies in agricultural frontiers

This article, authored by members of the Land Matrix's Latin America Regional Focal Point, analyses the links between large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs), deforestation, and zoning policies in the Chaco region of Salta, Argentina, from 1998 to 2021. Using the Land Matrix database, geographic information systems tools, and time-lagged cross-correlation functions, the study shows that LSLAs are the direct drivers of deforestation, but many investors also acquire already deforested land to avoid financial risks. Local investors tend to take on more risk and undertake the initial stages of land-use change, while international investors generally prefer already deforested land. The study also shows that National Forests Law promoted investment strategies aimed at avoiding deforestation restrictions and limitations. The results of this study could help understand investor behaviour and land governance processes in Latin America’s remaining native forests.

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Authors: Cristian Darío Venencia, José Luis Agüero, Ariela Griselda Judith Salas Barboza, Julia Mercedes Cardón Pocoví, Carlos Ortega Insaurralde, Lucas Seghezzo
Published: 2025
Source: Land Use Policy