Agribusiness and the “Matogrossization” of Rondônia (Brazilian Amazon)

This article examines how Rondônia's territory changed in the early 21st century, focusing on “matogrossization,” a process reflecting the spread of Mato Grosso's productive practices due to agribusiness expansion, especially soybean and corn monocultures. This led to a major reorganization of the regional agrarian space, with commodity exports sparking a land rush and intensive deforestation. The process caused conflicts over land, resistance from local peasants and Amazonian peoples, rural depopulation, and urban growth, driven by rural-to-urban migration. “Matogrossization” explains these socio-spatial shifts, linking Rondônia to global agribusiness and its environmental impacts.