Journal of Development Economics Ž . Vol. 58 1999 185–218 Agricultural expansion and deforestation: modelling the impact of population, market forces and property rights Arild Angelsen a,b, ) a Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen, Norway b Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia Received 30 October 1996; accepted 28 February 1998 Abstract This paper compares four different modelling approaches to agricultural expansion and deforestation, and explores the implications of assumptions about the household objectives, the labour market, and the property rights regime. A major distinction is made between population and market based explanations. Many of the popular policy prescriptions are based on the population approach, assuming subsistence behaviour and limited market integration. Within a more realistic—particularly for the long term effects—market ap- proach, well-intentioned policies such as agricultural intensification programmes may boost deforestation. Many forest frontier contexts are also characterized by forest clearing giving farmers land rights. Deforestation becomes an investment to the farmer and a title establishment strategy. Land titling and credit programmes may therefore increase defor- estation. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: O13; Q12; Q23 Keywords: Agriculture; Deforestation; Population; Property rights; Open access ) CIFOR, PO Box 6596, JKPWB, Jakarta 10065, Indonesia. Tel.: q62-251-622-622; fax: q62-251- 622-100; e-mail: a.angelsen@cgiar.org 0304-3878r99r$ - see front matter q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0304-3878 98 00108-4