Avocado Addiction: Can Satellites Help Save Mexico’s Forests?

In a bid to curb the devastating impact of avocado farming on Mexico's forests, a novel program is leveraging satellite imagery to track and expose deforestation caused by the lucrative avocado trade. The initiative aims to pressure avocado growers to adopt more sustainable practices by rallying support from American buyers, who are among the largest consumers of the fruit.The program, which is gaining traction, uses high-resolution satellite images to monitor and identify areas of deforestation in Michoacán, Mexico's largest avocado-producing state. By pinpointing exact locations where forests have been cleared for avocado cultivation, the program hopes to shame growers into changing their ways and encourage buyers to demand more sustainable sourcing practices.The avocado industry has long been linked to widespread deforestation in Mexico, as growers clear vast areas of forestland to make way for avocado orchards. The country's avocado production has skyrocketed in recent years, with the majority of the crop being exported to the United States. However, the environmental cost of this growth has been staggering, with thousands of hectares of forestland being cleared, often illegally.The new program aims to disrupt this destructive cycle by creating a transparent and publicly accessible database of deforestation caused by avocado farming. By shining a light on the environmental impact of the avocado trade, the program hopes to mobilize consumers and buyers to demand more sustainable practices from growers.American buyers, in particular, are being targeted by the program, as they are among the largest consumers of Mexican avocados. By educating buyers about the environmental impact of their purchases, the program hopes to create a market-driven incentive for growers to adopt more sustainable practices.While the program's success is far from guaranteed, it represents a promising new approach to addressing the complex environmental issues surrounding the avocado trade. By harnessing the power of satellite technology and consumer pressure, the program may help to mitigate the devastating impact of avocado farming on Mexico's forests and promote a more sustainable future for the industry.