Large scale mono-culture production of agricultural products in developing countries is a focus of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank. The IMF and World Bank hold leverage over the economies in the global south through their control of debts. Their Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP), set up as "debt relief" programs, are mostly achieved by forcing countries to convert to and sell their agricultural raw materials in bulk – with the devastating consequences for people and the environment, as has been described in this brochure. Added to this comes large scale clear-cutting of forests, for making areas available for fodder and biofuel production. Old growth forests are treasure groves of biodiversity and function as a major clean-up mechanism for greenhouse gases. But, it also generates hard cash relatively fast, serving the debt payments required by the IMF and World Bank, whereby little space is given for social and environmental concerns. But why should citizens and the environment have to suffer for this debt, once created by dictatorships and the rich elite?

Source: Via Campesina