Poverty is elevated among indigenous peoples. While deforestation rates decreased by half (to -0.29% per year) from 2000 to 2010, Mexico recorded, on average, annual net loss of 155 000 ha of forest over 2005-10 (FAO, 2010). Land-use practices, it is estimated, have reduced soil fertility on 17% of the territory, slash and burn agriculture persists and salinisation affects up to 8 000 km2 of land.