Ending deforestation, promoting sustainable agroforestry systems and other environmentally friendly farming techniques are key aspects to be considered for environmental sustainability of the cocoa sector.

Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana

The results of this scientific paper suggest that cocoa cultivation is an underlying driver of over 37% of forest loss in protected areas in Côte d’Ivoire and over 13% in Ghana, and that official reports substantially underestimate the planted area (up to 40% in Ghana).

Transparency, traceability and deforestation in the Ivorian cocoa supply chain

This paper used publicly-available remote-sensing and supply chain data to examine the links between cocoa production and deforestation in Côte d'Ivoire, the world's largest cocoa producer. The authors found that cocoa production has led to significant deforestation and degradation, as well as a need for greater transparency in the sector.

Addressing indirect sourcing in zero deforestation commodity supply chains

The study shows that traders often source more than 40% of commodities “indirectly” via local intermediaries and that indirect sourcing is a major blind spot for sustainable sourcing initiatives.

Proposal for a REGULATION on the making available on the Union market as well as export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation

The main driver of deforestation and forest degradation is the expansion of agricultural land to produce commodities such as cattle, wood, palm oil, soy, cocoa or coffee. A growing world population is expected to increase demand for agricultural land and put additional pressure on forests, while changing climate patterns will affect food production. This EU initiative aims to minimise consumption of products coming from supply chains associated with deforestation or forest degradation – and increase EU demand for and trade in legal and ‘deforestation free’ commodities and products.

Detecting cocoa plantations in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana and their implications on protected areas

Efficient and accurate methods for remotely identifying cocoa plantations are essential to the implementation of sustainable cocoa practices and for the periodic and effective monitoring of forests. The results of this study highlight that cocoa farms largely encroach into protected areas.

Cocoa4Future

The overall objective of this project, funded under the DeSIRA Initiative is to enhance the sustainability of cocoa farms while preserving the environment by tailoring cocoa cropping systems to the changing context in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The aim of the project is to contribute to the agroecological transition of cocoa production in these countries by proposing research that will help trigger a shift towards production systems that are in tune with environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, social responsibility, and quality standards, including ethical imperatives.

Cocoa agroforestry systems in Africa – the art of reconciling sustainable production and ecological services

This publication analyses cocoa agroforestry systems as an emerging and viable option for regenerating cocoa cropping in Africa.

Building resilience to shocks of climate change in Ghana's cocoa production and its effect on productivity and incomes

This papers shows that most cocoa farmers do not adopt climate change adaptation technologies and for those who adopt some technologies, diversification of income sources was the major innovation. Cocoa farmers who adopted climate change adaptation technologies recorded significantly higher farm productivities and incomes vis-à-vis non-adopters.

For Sustainability in Cocoa Production, Both Countries and Companies Need to Commit

The Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) was created in November 2017 by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) , IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative , and the Prince of Wales International Sustainability Unit (ISU), in partnership with the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The CFI made commitments to achieve two interdependent goals: 1) ending deforestation while 2) using new technology to “grow more cocoa on less land,” thereby ensuring long-term environmental sustainability across the cocoa supply chain.

A living income for smallholder commodity farmers and protected forests and biodiversity: how can the private and public sectors contribute?

Interventions and policies in the cocoa, tea and coffee sectors have failed to ensure that all smallholder commodity farmers earn more than the $1.90 World Bank poverty line or a living income, and they have not halted deforestation. Commodity farming is strongly associated with deforestation, in spite of interventions. For more than 50% of the cocoa and tea farmers in our datasets, household income would need to double in order for them to earn a living income. For those farmers, farming will never be a primary pathway out of poverty.