Despite attempts to address deforestation related to agricultural expansion, a loss of 80% of forest have been registered since 1950 in Côte d’Ivoire and about 25% between 1990 and 2005 in Ghana. Today, perverse incentives, market failures and a lack of safeguards continue to drive agricultural expansion through the forest frontier. Plus, the lack of technical knowledge to support complex agricultural models reinforce cocoa monoculture and slowly diminishing potential yields.
In the region, cocoa producers register an average ~500 kg/ha of production per year, which is significantly below forecasted yields of 1000 kg/ha (minimum). While diminishing production is partially due to ageing trees, limited access to resources and the degradation of ecosystem support services reinforce the growing gap and inequalities. For example, in Côte d'Ivoire, cocoa production provides critical incomes to smallholder farming communities but is facing significant environmental and economic challenges. Raising climatic variability, ageing farms and the lack of improved varieties affect cocoa productivity. Those variables increase the vulnerability of smallholders contributing to the local need for geographic expansion, deforestation resulting in biodiversity loss. Plus, the population rapidly growing, migration, in parallel with weak forest governance, economic shocks and policy changes are exacerbating conversion of forests to cocoa production in the country.
Today, PUR Projet works to support local communities to explore sustainable solutions for cocoa production. As we grow conscious of the importance to educate farmers, training workshops are implemented across the communities. In a partnership with Empow'her, a french non-profit organization, we have developed women empowerment programs. We aim to train and support local actors to grow resilient and independent by developing local tree nurseries.
Our projects in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are made possible thanks to the financial support and engagement of our partners: Cargill, General Mills, Sucden as well as local cooperatives and engaged farmers.