Debate rages over Brazil's 'grains railway' plan

Brazilian authorities continue to show their backing for a multi-billion dollar railway which threatens further mass deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

The 1,000km Ferrogrão project would run through the rainforest to connect the city of Itaituba to Mato Grosso state to enable the transport of soy and corn.

Speaking at a conference in favor of the project last month, Mato Grosso Governor Mauro Mendes said Brazil's farming industry could benefit from the rise in global food demand.

Brazilian Infrastructure Minister Tarcísio Freitas also attended the event.

With a third of its land destined for farming, Mato Grosso is the powerhouse for soy and corn production in Brazil.

The new railway would facilitate the quicker and cheaper transportation of grains, which at the moment are moved by road.

Ane Alencar, science director at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, told the Associated Press last month that increased access would also raise the value of land in the Amazon, creating opportunities for estate speculation.

Protected areas of the rainforest are frequently invaded and deforested by land grabbers.

With the increase in value, people can sell that land for farming at a much higher price.

Regions where the Amazon forest lies are experiencing destruction at an accelerated rate.

Annual deforestation in the Amazon has surpassed 10,000 square kilometers (3,861 square miles) in the years since President Jair Bolsonaro assumed office compared to an average of 6,500 square kilometers between 2009 and 2018.