effect of cocoa production on environment

1. Cocoa story
Prem Biradar
M.Tech (FSCM)517007

2. Cocoa
(Theobroma cacao)
 Major cocoa producing countries are West Africa, Ivory Coast,
Ghana, Nigeria etc.
 Climate Conditions:
The natural habitat of the cocoa tree is in the lower storey of the
evergreen rainforest, and climatic factors particularly temperature and
rainfall are important in encouraging optimum growth.

3. Varieties of cocoa
1. Criollos: highly priced and rare.
2. Forestero: is a large group includes 80% of world chocolate
production
3. Trinitario: cross between Criollo and Forastero.10-15% of
chocolate production

4. Issues related to cocoa
farming
 Environmental issues.
 Social issues.
 Economical issues.

5. Environmental issues
Deforestation
 Cocoa farmers usually clear tropical forests to plant new cocoa trees
rather than reusing the same land. That practice has spurred massive
deforestation in West Africa, particularly in Ivory Coast. Experts estimate
that 70% of the country’s illegal deforestation is related to cocoa farming.
 deforestation for cocoa has a significant impact on climate. Tropical
rainforests such as the ones being destroyed for cocoa production have
among the highest carbon storage of any ecosystem on the planet.
When they are cleared, they release enormous amounts of carbon into
the atmosphere.

7. Deforestation

8. Cont…
 Loss of biodiversity
 Soil degradation
 Monoculture
 soil erosion
 destruction of ecosystems
 soil fertility loss
 health and environmental problems associated with
agrochemical application.

9. A Sweeter Future?
 In West Africa, the chocolate industry has mostly clearing forests and
growing cocoa in full sun to boost short-run productivity.
 However, shade-grown cocoa promotes :
• nutrient cycling,
• erosion control
• water regulation
• nitrogen fixing
• crop pollination and reduced weed growth.

10. Social issue
 chocolate industry is notorious for labour rights abuses including
slave labour and child labour.
 Child labour and unfair wages are the most notorious social issues.
 Over 2,00,000 trafficked children work in West Africa.
 Trafficking: Illegal movement of children , typically for forced labour
or sexual exploitation.
 Illiteracy and lack of education.

11. Child labour
 West Africa’s cocoa farmers
frequently use child labour to help
with growing, harvesting, and
transporting cocoa beans.
 During the 2013-14 growing season,
an estimated 2 million children were
used for hazardous labour
throughout Ghana and Ivory Coast.
 60% of children working on cocoa
farming are younger than 14 years.

12. Dark side of chocolate

13. Economic issue
 Almost 90% of the world’s cocoa production comes
from small holdings under mixed cropping system.
 Low income for the farmers.
 Limited access to markets(Loan, market information etc)
 Outdated farming practices and Lack of Knowledge on
GAP leading to low yield and bad quality.
 Inadequate infrastructure.