. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: the Americas. Agricultural Colonization Policies and Deforestation in Amazonia Only part of the projected road network was actually built. The Manaus-Porto Velho and Cuiaba-Santarem trunk roads and the Cuiaba-Porto Velho highway were completed, while the Transamazon highway was not finished and the border road never materialised (Figure ). Nonetheless, the roads were responsible for the opening up of large densely forested areas for agricultural colonization. Colonization projects, intended as "model"" settlements, were set up in
. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: the Americas. Agricultural Colonization Policies and Deforestation in Amazonia Only part of the projected road network was actually built. The Manaus-Porto Velho and Cuiaba-Santarem trunk roads and the Cuiaba-Porto Velho highway were completed, while the Transamazon highway was not finished and the border road never materialised (Figure ). Nonetheless, the roads were responsible for the opening up of large densely forested areas for agricultural colonization. Colonization projects, intended as "model"" settlements, were set up in two areas of the country. The then federal state of Rondonia in the north-west of Brazil was one of these. Settlements here were intended to attract farmers from the south who were experienced in modern agricultural methods. The other was along the eastern part of the Transamazon highway. Here the aim was to settle people from the poverty stricken norlheasl and thereby alleviate population and social pressures in that area. The fiscal incentives were stepped up by PIN so that, between 1966 and 1972. substantial areas of land were incorpo- rated into agricultural projects, many involving cattle rearing. This was partly because of the high prices for beef in the world market in the early 1970s which led to hopes that Amazonia would become a world exporter of this commodity. The intention of PIN was that the settlers would produce sub- sistence goods and provide manpower for various secondary developments, while private initiatives, aided by the fiscal incentives, were to furnish a growing quantity of agricultural products for both the domestic and export markets. This strategy aimed to incorporate Amazonia into the national economy and reduce the danger of foreign domination of the region. Loss of Impetus and Change in Strategies (1975-1979). Events did not materialize as expected, howe\er. The oil crises of the 1970s reduced Brazil's economic growth and made it more difficult to
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