Often this land was either used as grazing for cattle temporarily and the farmer moved on or a farmer attempted to clear the land and make it productive but was unable to do so due to lack of capital. This degraded pasture is not as inexpensive as native vegetation-covered land and not as expensive as fields prepared and ready for planting. It also does not take as long to prepare for planting as a virgin forest. Degraded pastures are at the center of our thesis. They are underutilized swaths of land that, with the right incentives, can help deter farmers from using virgin forests and turning them into fields. We now know that by employing some sustainable techniques by planting and harvesting on these parcels, they can actually sequester more carbon, trap more humidity, help feed the world, and increase profit margins for farmers, than if left alone to further decay. Food and water shortages are a reality and this can be a major piece to the puzzle toward a solution.