Latin America and the Caribbean

Sustaining the environment

Air and water pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, desertification, global warming, and the exhaustion of natural resources all aggravate poverty while seriously degrading the environment and increasing people's vulnerability to natural disasters.

In Central America, 40% of the tropical forests have been cut down or burned up over the last 40 years, according to the World Rain Forest Report (2004). Yet wise management of the earth's resources and sound policies ensuring the proper use of these resources can guarantee a sustainable future for everyone.

In Mexico, Brazil and elsewhere in the region, World Vision is supporting environmentally sustainable agricultural production by preserving biodiversity and introducing small farmers to appropriate new technologies that increase the efficiency as well as production of their farms. In Bolivia alone, over 2,500 farmers have increased their crop yields by 10% or more.