Work

Complex cocoa agroforestry systems shaped within specific socioeconomic and historical contexts in Africa: Lessons from Cameroonian farmers

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: In the humid tropics, the socioecological advantages of family-based, multistory agroforestry systems are well recognized. Yet public policies tend to focus on conservation and land-sparing strategies alongside the promotion of modern intensive agriculture, neglecting these biodiverse agroecosystems, which are in decline. This is a particularly central issue in cocoa cultivation. In Africa's two largest cocoa-producing countries (Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana), cocoa plantations with few associated trees contribute to deforestation and biodiversity loss. In contrast, in regions like Cameroon, biodiversity-rich cocoa agroforests prevail. Considering global changes and rising cocoa demand, it is crucial to preserve and develop these agroforestry systems that reconcile cocoa production with ecosystem services.

Source: Agricultural Systems

DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104111

Authors: Isabelle Michel, Julien Blanco, François Manga Essouma, Stéphanie M. Carrière

Institutions: Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Innovation and Development in Agriculture and Food, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Savoirs, Environnement, Sociétés, Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement

Language: English

Topic: Cocoa and Sweet Potato Agronomy

Subfield: Horticulture

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,820