The tropics contain some of the most important biomes for managing a variety of environmental challenges from
biodiversity to climate change. But at the same time, agricultural expansion in South America shows that the tropics
can be highly productive in terms of grain production. Additionally, agricultural intensification holds promise to reduce
poverty and malnutrition among the many rural poor residing in tropical zones. This symposium addresses the complex
tradeoffs between environmental stewardship and agricultural intensification in the tropics.
