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| Cocoa |
- UN International Day of Forests announcement positions farmers to benefit from agroforestry and contribute to fight against deforestation and climate change
- Ghanaian Forestry Commission approves tree registration for 150 cocoa farmers near Asankrangwa, in Ghana's Western Region
- Shade trees are conducive to a positive cycle of afforestation on cocoa farms
For the first time
ever in Ghana, cocoa farmers have obtained official ownership of
valuable non-cocoa trees on their farms. Benefiting from this
breakthrough are 150 farmers in Ghana's Western Region who have
successfully petitioned the Ghanaian government to register ownership of
trees planted on their cocoa farms.
Leading the effort
was an international consortium consisting of the World Cocoa Foundation
(WCF), Sustainable Food Lab, Agro Eco - Louis Bolk Institute, and
Meridia. It comes as the chocolate and cocoa sector works closely with
the governments of Ghana and neighboring Côte d'Ivoire to end
deforestation and forest degradation in the cocoa supply chain. Their
work was funded by the United States Agency for International
Development as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government's global
hunger and food security initiative.
Unleashing the
potential of tree ownership is an important milestone for efforts to
conserve forests and support diversified sources of income for cocoa
farmers. According to WCF Environment Director Ethan Budiansky, the new
developments in Ghana "allow cocoa farmers to include shade trees as
part of their business plans. Growing cocoa alongside shade trees helps
farmers confront the effects of climate change, and provides additional
sources of income."
Cocoa and chocolate
companies working with farmers on climate adaptation and landscape
level resilience have long called for farmers to be granted guaranteed
ownership of timber trees. In partnership with the Ghana Forestry
Commission and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the consortium
successfully tested an affordable new tree registration system, using
the latest technology to gather data on 150 farms and create
registration forms. Ghanaian government officials played a critical role
in attributing registration numbers to the farmers' trees.
Thomas Amoah, one
of the participating cocoa farmers, said, "with registration of my
trees, I protected my farm from illegal logging and chainsaw operators,
and I hope we can finally make some money from our shade trees."
Rosemond Ofosu,
another cocoa farmer near Asankrangwa echoed Amoah's comments, saying,
"I will now plant more trees on my farm because the loggers will not be
allowed to destroy my farm."
Ensuring tree
tenure for West African cocoa farmers is key to preserving the
productivity of their farms. When growing timber trees on their land,
farmers can earn money by thinning trees halfway through the 25 to
30-year cocoa life cycle. Even more income is possible at the end of
this cycle, when heavy investments are needed to rehabilitate aged cocoa
trees. Tree tenure is also seen by experts as a way to fight the
growing problem of illegal mining (galamsey). Agroforestry prompts
farmers and their families to take a longer-term view of land
management, thereby reducing the appeal of risky short-term gains
offered through galamsey.
Cocoa, the main
ingredient in chocolate, originates from the Amazon Basin rainforest,
where for millennia it has grown under the forest canopy cover. But, in
West Africa, where 70 percent of the world's cocoa beans are produced,
cocoa is often monocropped, with little to no shade.
With climate change now threatening cocoa farms, forests and shade trees
can positively affect local climatic conditions by promoting cooler
temperatures, keeping moisture in the air and the soil, and helping
maintain soil fertility. In addition to providing shade, trees help
improve biodiversity by creating a friendly environment for birds and
cocoa-pollinating insects. Different tree species also serve as an
obstacle for pests that often spread diseases between cocoa trees.
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