Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice

Climate change is threatening cocoa production in Ghana, the world’s second largest cocoa exporter. Yet, as we have shown in this book, the impacts of climate change must be understood in the context of the multiple socioeconomic and biophysical pressures facing cocoa farmers, including the conversi...

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Main Authors: Olwig, M.F., Asare, R., Vaast, P., Bosselmann, A.S.
Format: Book Chapter
Language:Inglés
Published: Palgrave Macmillan 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140504
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author Olwig, M.F.
Asare, R.
Vaast, P.
Bosselmann, A.S.
author_browse Asare, R.
Bosselmann, A.S.
Olwig, M.F.
Vaast, P.
author_facet Olwig, M.F.
Asare, R.
Vaast, P.
Bosselmann, A.S.
author_sort Olwig, M.F.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Climate change is threatening cocoa production in Ghana, the world’s second largest cocoa exporter. Yet, as we have shown in this book, the impacts of climate change must be understood in the context of the multiple socioeconomic and biophysical pressures facing cocoa farmers, including the conversion of farms for other land uses, increasing hired labor costs as well as pests and diseases. This final chapter summarizes the book’s overall findings on cocoa agroforestry as climate change adap-tion and points to ways forward in terms of policy, practice and research. Our findings suggest that a nuanced view of farmers, agroecosystems and sites is necessary and emphasize the need to study shade tree species and species diversity, in addition to shade levels, to optimize the sustain-ability of cocoa farming. We further suggest that it may not be possible to sustainably grow cocoa in marginal regions of the cocoa belt, where yields are lower and where agroforestry may be unable to mitigate the negative impacts of the adverse climate. Finally, we point to the impor-tance of considering rights and access to trees, land, extension services and resources, and call for more multidisciplinary research on differently situated farmers’ opportunities and needs.
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spelling CGSpace1405042025-01-27T15:00:52Z Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice Olwig, M.F. Asare, R. Vaast, P. Bosselmann, A.S. climate change adaptation cocoa (plant) farmers sustainability agroforestry food security Climate change is threatening cocoa production in Ghana, the world’s second largest cocoa exporter. Yet, as we have shown in this book, the impacts of climate change must be understood in the context of the multiple socioeconomic and biophysical pressures facing cocoa farmers, including the conversion of farms for other land uses, increasing hired labor costs as well as pests and diseases. This final chapter summarizes the book’s overall findings on cocoa agroforestry as climate change adap-tion and points to ways forward in terms of policy, practice and research. Our findings suggest that a nuanced view of farmers, agroecosystems and sites is necessary and emphasize the need to study shade tree species and species diversity, in addition to shade levels, to optimize the sustain-ability of cocoa farming. We further suggest that it may not be possible to sustainably grow cocoa in marginal regions of the cocoa belt, where yields are lower and where agroforestry may be unable to mitigate the negative impacts of the adverse climate. Finally, we point to the impor-tance of considering rights and access to trees, land, extension services and resources, and call for more multidisciplinary research on differently situated farmers’ opportunities and needs. 2024 2024-03-19T10:49:27Z 2024-03-19T10:49:27Z Book Chapter https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140504 en Open Access application/pdf Palgrave Macmillan Olwig, M.F., Asare, R., Vaast, P. & Bosselmann, A.S. (2024). Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice. In M.F. Olwig, A.S. Bosselmann and K. Osusu, Agroforestry as climate change adaptation: the case of cocoa farming in Ghana. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, (p. 147-166).
spellingShingle climate change adaptation
cocoa (plant)
farmers
sustainability
agroforestry
food security
Olwig, M.F.
Asare, R.
Vaast, P.
Bosselmann, A.S.
Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title_full Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title_fullStr Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title_full_unstemmed Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title_short Can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa? Implications for policy and practice
title_sort can agroforestry provide a future for cocoa implications for policy and practice
topic climate change adaptation
cocoa (plant)
farmers
sustainability
agroforestry
food security
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140504
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