13 Jul 2021 --- Destroying tropical ecosystems and replacing them with soybeans and other crops has immediate and devastating consequences for soybeans – in other words, soy is a “self-defeating crop.” New peer-reviewed research in the journal World Development has underscored this issue, while stressing that protecting the Amazon and the Cerrado – the vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil – can help prevent the high temperatures that damage crop productivity, which are estimated to cost the sector US$3.55 billion. With 35.8 million hectares currently under soy cultivation in Brazil, extreme heat – which adjacent tropical forests help to keep in check – has reduced soybean profits by an average of approximately US$100 per hectare per year, the researchers flag.