Some of the perceived virtues of agroforestry may have been oversold, but it is certainly less damaging to the environment than some other land uses, particularly cattle ranching. Yet for all its perceived benefits, agroforestry in field settings ocupies a relatively small portion of cleared areas in the Brazilian Amazon. Cattle ranching, second growth, annual crops and root crops -particularly manioc- dominate deforested areas. Before examining why agroforestry is largely hemmed in by other land uses, agroforestry systems in the Brazilian Amazon are described to point out their diversity and long history. Finally, suggestions for promoting agroforestry are offered so that land use patterns might be more balanced.