Cocoa and Biodiversity

8/12/2019 Cocoa and Biodiversity

1/20

for a living planet

Cocoa and biodiversityJonathan Cook, WWF-MPO

Cocoa and biodiversity

Jonathan CookWWF Macroeconomics Program Office

October 31, 2006


2/20


3/20

for a living planet


Economic

Social

Environmental

We are interested inseeing the environmental component better defined,and expanded in practice.

Three Components of Cocoa Sustainability


4/20

for a living planet


a. What does environmental sustainability actually meanin a cocoa context?

b. How does cocoa interact with biodiversity? How do we

define biodiversity? And what would biodiversity-friendly cocoa production systems actually look like?

c. How can farmers actually benefit from maintaining

greater biodiversity on their cocoa farms?d. How can governments encourage more biodiversity-friendly cocoa systems?

Some Important Questions


5/20

for a living planet


Considerable evidence fromWest Africa and Central andSouth America has shown that

relative to other agriculturalsystems certain kinds ofcocoa systems can have

significant benefits forbiodiversity conservation.

Section I: Key Findings


6/20for a living planet


Shade-grown cocoa agroforestrysystems are much more beneficialthan full-sun plantation systems in

terms of protecting biodiversity andsafeguarding ecosystem function.

Key Findings:Cocoa Systems




Intercropping cocoa with fruit and timber trees leads to agreater diversification of economic opportunities.






Unlike many slash-and-burn foodcrop systems, cocoa agroforestsgenerally require only single,

partial clearing of the forest, whichis better for soil health and allowslonger-term cropping cycles.




Though cocoa agroforestscannot match primary forests,the overall level of biodiversitythere is usually higher than inother agricultural landscapes.

Key Findings:Cocoa, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services




Cocoa agroforests play a wide role of other ecologicalservices, like maintaining hydrological and soil functionand providing habitat for pollinators and useful insects .

Key Findings:Cocoa, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Services




Cocoa can be used to:

partially reforest degraded

agricultural landsstabilize and provide livelihoodswithin buffer zones around

protected areasimprove habitat connectivity forwildlife

Key Findings:Cocoa, Land Use, and Conservation




The evidence shows that certain kinds of cocoa systemscan contribute to biodiversity conservation and povertyalleviation

but many factors determine whether these are thesystems that are actually implemented and maintained.

And there are many challenges in terms of lining up theright incentives to support these kinds of systems.

Section II: Initial Recommendations




1. Support complex, shade-based agroforestry systems

Better for biodiversity Require fewer inputs Are less susceptible to disease Produce cocoa for a longer amount of time Provide a more diverse range of economic opportunities to farmers

Basic Principles of Biodiversity-friendly Cocoa




2. Promote cocoa as a way to reforest degraded areas

Can be planted into existing agricultural landscapes Helps to reduce pressure for clearance or conversion of forest However, labor costs can be higher and inputs are often needed Farmers need technical assistance and strong support from government





3. Support intensification within existing systems

Farmers with access to herbicides are more willing to intensifyproduction, convert other farmlands, or reforest degraded lands, ratherthan moving into new forest and repeating the cycle of cocoa clearance.

We still want to reduce on-farm environmental impacts (like reducingagrochemical pollution) but this may be a tradeoff to consider if it helps tostabilize agricultural expansion.





4. Look at the big picture: How do cocoa agroforests fit intothe larger landscape?

Cocoa agroforests in buffer zones may help nearby protected areas by directly reducing pressure to clear forest by offering more livelihood opportunities by providing certain non-timber forest products

Government must take an active role in terms of: agricultural zoning land-use planning licensing or land allocation regulations to promote better practices





5. Get the policy environment right

Government can play an important role in terms of promoting biodiversity-friendly methods, and carefully managing the expansion of cocoa, through:

land tenure and property rights migration policy institutions for sustainable land management protected-area management agricultural and macroeconomic policy agricultural R&D and extension





6. Support economic sustainability for cocoa farmers.

Biodiversity conservation needs to work for farmers if it is going to besustainable.


A. Do more research tounderstand benefits ofbiodiversity to farmers

e.g. increased resistance to pests and diseases,greater yields, income diversification, new marketopportunities, increased resilience to adverseclimatic conditions, higher-quality cocoa, accessto other valuable products, pollination, etc.




Farmers need to receive tangible benefits fromthese systems!

Opportunities for new income-generating streams:

Carbon offsets

Payments for ecosystem service

Better integration into plans for protected areas

Greater interest from buyers and consumers




B. Find other ways to makethese systems moreeconomically viable







C. Green the supply chain Buyers need to match environmental performancewith market incentives.

One idea is to create a premium for biodiversity-

friendly cocoa as with coffee...WWFs preference is to develop mainstreambetter practices that would affect a bigger chunkof the market

Documents

Cocoa and Biodiversity