Declining soil fertility, increasing weed infestations and a lack of income-generating opportunities are serious constraints to the establishment of sustainable cropping systems and livelihoods in the forest margins of Bolivia. Systems which allow farmers to progress: from unsustainable, migratory (shifting) slash, and burn agriculture to more sustainable and stable farming systems are needed. Sustainability was addressed through an increased cropping period for annual crops, increased opportunities for perennial crops, the development of sequences towards perennial systems, improved weed control, integration of legume covers/green manures and economic sustainability through diversification.