Felix Kairanya Mucee

 Cocoa farming in West Africa Student’s Name Institution Course Professor Date Cocoa farming in West Africa Introduction Cocoa farming acts as the heart of several economies in West African countries, particularly Ghana and Cote d’Ivore. Previous studies have illustrated that about 70% of the globe’s cocoa is produced by the perceived Rainforest Alliance tea within the area (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). More than 2 million cocoa farmers are involved in the UTZ certification program and the Rainforest Alliance, which primarily focuses on better and more sustainable farming opportunities for farmers, their families, and plants. In West Africa, cocoa is mainly grown and produced by small-scale farmers who often plant the plant under thin forest shade (Afolayan, 2020). The low-input farming system uses the existing forest shade and the forest soil fertility to enhance production. About 6 million hectares of the West African forest zone are occupied by the cocoa plant. Presently, Ghana and Code d’Ivore are the main cocoa producers, followed by Nigeria and Cameroon (Friedman et al., 2019). Ghana produces nearly a fifth of all the cocoa beans, whereby it generates about $2 billion a year, far less than a fiftieth of the value of the chocolate produced, branded, and sold by the manufacturers. Previous research indicates that cocoa production increased from 2 million to 3 million tons between 2000 and 2010 (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). Despite the rise in production, the average yield is considered low since most of the farmers are aging and have extensive outdated farming methods. The search for new farming land for cocoa production has influenced large-scale deforestation in these countries as most producers are determined to increase their output. Currently, the most urgent issue faced by the cocoa farmers is the extremely low price they receive for the crops despite the increasing demand. It is projected that these farmers are paid between 3 and 6% of the chocolate bar retail price. This demonstrates the substantial market disadvantage that the cocoa farmers encounter with very minimal bargaining opportunities. Therefore, they carry uneven risks within the supply chain, with the majority dramatically and quickly impacted by drops in market prices. This paper analyses cocoa production in West Africa whereby it focuses on factors related to low production with appropriate approaches that can be employed to improve productivity in major cocoa producing countries like Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire (Afolayan, 2020). The effects of pests and diseases, the climate crisis, and a lack of fertile soil are some of the major causative factors associated with the region's low cocoa production. However, agroforestry provides the new farming alternative to the high input approach, albeit it is considered costly. Lastly, the paper reviews the prospects of cocoa farming in West Africa and its condition for future environmental and economic sustainability. The economic impact of cocoa farming is significant in both producing and consuming countries (Friedman et al., 2019). For instance, the product generates income, export revenues, and also creates employment opportunities. Cocoa provides industrial raw materials and resources for food processing industries like chocolate, which create employment opportunities and income, thereby reducing poverty. The product is mainly used in the food and beverage, confectionery, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Cocoa is an important agricultural product in the West African economy. In Ghana, about 800,000 hard-working farmers with between 28 and 40 hectares of land earn about 350–400 kg/ha, which generates approximately 500 euros in annual income (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). Literature Review Various studies have been conducted with regards to cocoa production in West Africa. The article, "Exploring cocoa farm land use in the West African region," by Merem et al. (2020), describes diverse factors influencing cocoa production in relation to land. This article reviews various issues, factors, trends, roles, and impacts of production institutions. It employs the secondary data descriptive statistics and the mixed-scale tools of the geographic information system (GIS). Cocoa farming is primarily associated with great environmental pollution (Merem et al., 2020). The increased cocoa farming activities have led to various environmental liabilities that are currently overstressing the capabilities of the natural area. For instance, there is increased application of agrochemicals such as fertilizers, heptachlor, lindane, DDT, endosulfan, dieldrin, diazinon, chlordane, methoxychlor, and hexachlorobenzene used to enhance the product productivity. Despite the increased productivity, these agrochemicals negatively impact the environment and cause pollution. According to Merem et al. (2020), exposure to soil erosion is the other risk associated with cocoa production. Presently, cocoa farmers encroach into forests in search of fertile land for cultivation and an increase in production. In the process, several trees are cut down to create land for cocoa plantations that cannot hold the soil to prevent erosion. Typically, when forests are cut, the land remains exposed and bears bear, making it vulnerable to erosion. As a result, this causes sediment loads to flow and spread cocoa plant-related diseases. The effects have been marked as the key detriments of the surrounding ecology and society (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). The ecosystem disturbance is worsening with the increasing expansion of cocoa farming into huge forest landscapes, commonly referred to as the emission sink. Notwithstanding the major environmental impact, very little has been done with regards to cocoa land use. Several environmental and socio-economic factors are found to have a major impact on the overall production of cocoa in the West African region (Kosoe & Ahmed, 2022). The increasing demand for cocoa has led to growth in export earnings at both local and international levels. It is assumed that the present production of cocoa is partly influenced by the marketplace transaction pressures and the regulatory framework within the area. An additional study by Afolayan (2020) further illustrates the cocoa production pattern in Nigeria and its impact on the land. According to the author, Nigeria is the fourth cocoa producer globally after countries like Ghana, Code d’Ivore, and Indonesia. Therefore, it functions as the most significant product exported from the country after petroleum. 14 of 36 Nigerian states cultivate cocoa, with over 80% of the country's southwest geopolitical region (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). However, effective production of cocoa in Nigeria is compromised by various factors such as soil infertility, aging plantations and population, fluctuating prices, and agricultural negligence over oil. Cocoa is grown primarily by poor, low- and small-scale technical farmers who do not use manure or fertilizer to improve soil fertility. Production in the Major Cocoa Farming West Africa Countries Code d’Ivoire Code d’Ivoire is considered the largest cocoa producing country in West Africa. Wessel and Quist-Wessel (2015) argue that the annual production of cocoa increased from 900,000 to 1,500,000 tons between the years 1995 and 2011. The perceived rise in production is closely associated with the expansion in cocoa cultivation that began in the 1970s (Kosoe & Ahmed, 2022). The research also demonstrates that the experienced increase is influenced by favourable government policies, the availability of large scale labour migration, the availability of cultivation land, and the presence of fertile land. However, the outstanding experience between the 2013 and 2014 seasons was mainly facilitated by the 40% increase in farm products that drove growers to invest extra both in their resources and time in their plantations (Wessel and Quist-Wessel, 2015). The prompt increase demonstrates dormant production capacity that can be enhanced to drastically change the farming system. According to the food and agriculture organization's corporate statistical database (FAOSTA), approximately 2.5 million hectares were harvested in 2012, with a constant production of 500-600 kg per ha. Nearly all the Upper Amazon cocoa hybrids located in the south-western region are cultivated without the involvement of shade. In Code d’Iviore, the primary challenges facing cocoa production include land degradation, deforestation, pests and disease, absence of land ownership, lack of credit and agricultural resources, and early aging among the cocoa farmers (Wessel and Quist-Wessel, 2015). Low input and lack of shade have led to an increased mortality rate of the cocoa plants and an overall reduction in production. The government, through the agricultural department, has established the Quantite-Qualite-Croissance Programme to reduce more deforestation and improve the production system. The authors further anticipate that about 800,000 ha and 1,000,000 ha will have been replanted and rehabilitated, respectively. The Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative has also been created to provide farmers with fertilizers. Ghana Ghana is considered the second-largest cocoa producer in West Africa. Cocoa farming has constantly increased in Ghana since 1995, when it produced 300,000 tons, to 900,000 tons in 2014 (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). Some of the factors contributing to increased cocoa production in Ghana include the introduction of free disease and pest control programs, an increase in product price, the introduction of fertilizers, improved market facilities, hybrid seeds, good road conditions, fungicides, and insecticides. Another factor contributing to increased cocoa production is the expansion of cocoa cultivation areas along the Western region (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). As stated by FAOSTAT, the harvested area increased from 1.0 million ha to 1.6 million ha between 1995 and 2010. However, the great expansion and production is associated with the increased rate of deforestation, whereby the majority of the farms are on small-scales of about 2 ha. Poor management and inadequate farm input usage has negatively affected the production process whereby one hectare hardly produces 400 kg (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). The low average yield is also influenced by the aged cocoa plantations. The government has established the National Cocoa Rehabilitation Programmes, which focus on providing about 20 million seedlings of cocoa plants to the farmers free of charge. Similarly, this programme has a replanting arrangement with an approximation of about 20% of the present plantation. Nigeria Nigeria is the other West African country renowned for the production of cocoa. Similarly, the country has encountered a constant increase in production over the years, just like the formerly described countries. For instance, between the- season and 2013–14, Nigeria produced 165,000 tons and 250,000 tons, correspondingly (Wessel and Quist-Wessel, 2015). The increased productivity is characterised by government support and high gate prices. In 2011, the Nigerian government established the Cocoa Transformation Action Plan to facilitate the effective growth and production of cocoa. Consequently, the average yield per ha is about 400 kg with a harvest quantity of 640,000 (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015). Despite the high production experienced in cocoa farming, various constraints like high-cost and inadequate supply of farm chemicals, insignificant farm input application, insufficient extension services, poor management of farms, and inaccessible roads affect the overall production. Arguably, several cocoa plantations are old; thereby, they require prompt replanting to enhance productivity. As previously stated, the Cocoa Transformation Action Plan is determined to improve cocoa production. Cameroon Cameroon is the other country in West Africa producing cocoa. Over the last decades, the production of cocoa has significantly increased by about double digits compared to the past decades. However, the average harvest is considered low, with approximately 300-400 kg per hectare (Wessel and Quist-Wessel, 2015). Previous studies have identified insufficient input supply, aged plantations, and varying climatic conditions as some of the factors affecting productivity. According to Wessel and Quist-Wessel (2015), the black pod or phytophthora pod rot disease normally affects yields during high rainfall, particularly in shaded areas of the forest. However, the effect can be managed by constant spraying of copper fungicides. Since the process seems costly, most farmers often fail to meet the agrochemical demands due to poverty (Wessel & Quist-Wessel, 2015; Merem et al., 2020). As previously illustrated, most of the West African cocoa farmers are poor enough that they cannot handle the constant demand for chemicals for their crops. On the other hand, high rainfall is also characterized by post-harvest losses because the harvested farm produce cannot effectively dry up for storage. Methodology The study that took place in Ghana found that cocoa is often cultivated in the deciduous and rain forest. The data for the study were gathered through significant informant interviews, which were conducted using a qualitative method (Peprah, 2019). Therefore, the focus group and community farmer meetings were used to triangulate the data. The literature offered additional information for the support of the research. Theoretical foundations were built on the triple bottom line of sustainability elaboration, with the idea that cocoa sustainability is a function of people, plant, and profit (3Ps) (Peprah, 2019). Cocoa in its natural surroundings, either in situ or ex situ, requires sustainable maintenance. Developmental modifications in cocoa are allowed during the preservation process as long as they result in advantages for the present and the future. Similarly, the cocoa plant and crop have a full right to life. Furthermore, this ability to survive is irrespective of cocoa people's aspirations. Once again, the term "political economy of cocoa" refers to the connections between economic, social, and political problems, wherein economic refers to profit and social and political to the cocoa society. The "3Ps" premise is used to substantiate the assertion that collaboration among the many stakeholders is essential for the sustainability of Ghana's cocoa business (Peprah, 2019). This claim is supported by the ethical economy theory, which centers on disagreements and agreements. Following, ethics is defined in economics as fundamental worth rather than by reference to general moral standards. Morals should be seen as an intrinsic source of economic value rather than as an imposed restriction on the pursuit of economic goals (Afolayan, 2020). According to this perspective, creating values and behavioral norms that are unique to the current context at hand constitutes the practice of ethics. This contributes to the assertion that an ethical economy is essential for the sustainability of the cocoa industry (Merem et al., 2020). The confluence of various stakeholders, their interests, duties, and connections that add value to the multiple stakeholders and the community when managing the cocoa sector is what is meant by ethical economy. Results Cocoa Plant Dry cocoa beans, chocolate, butter, paste, liquor, chocolate-related products, powder, cake, and waste, among other byproducts, are obtained from the cocoa beans that cocoa plants produce. Below is the correlation between Cote d'Ivoire's and Ghana’s cocoa production over successive crop seasons. The Table Illustrating Cocoa Production in Ghana from- Country 2014/15 Global Supply (%) 2015/16 Global Supply (%) 2016/17 Global Supply (%) Ghana- Cote D’Ivoire- Africa (Total- The production of cocoa declined globally from about 4740 to 4645 tons (2%) throughout the- crop years. Cote d’Ivoire, which generated 2000 tons during the- crop years, became the leading producer (Peprah, 2019). Other producers included Latin America with 317 tons, followed by Ghana with 900 tons, Ecuador with 270 tons, Asia with 88 tons, Africa with 618 tons, Indonesia with 280 tons, and Brazil with 165 tons. The ICCO's (4645 tons) and 2018 Cocoa Barometer's (4638 tons) estimates of the world's cocoa production for the- crop year slightly differed. Ghana increased its yearly cocoa production from 850 to 900 tons, an increase of around 6% from-. There are typically three groups of cocoa that include Forastero, Criollo, and Trinitario, with the third group being referred to as Trinitario, a cross between the other two (Peprah, 2019). The Forastero group comprises the varieties planted in Ghana. The Dutch and Swiss presented it for the first time in 1815 and 1843, respectively, but it didn't take off. Tetteh Quarshie, a Ghanaian, developed a cocoa farm later in 1879 and successfully grew about 300 trees by 1890 (Peprah, 2019). However, from 1939 through the middle of 1960, Ghana was the top producer and exporter of dried cocoa beans because of efforts made in the cocoa industry by the British colonial administration as well as the independent government of Ghana after 1957. Ghana currently comes in second place to Cote d’Ivoire in terms of cocoa production and exports globally. The cocoa trees, commonly known as Tetteh Quarshie, have retained their original physiology on many farms in Ghana, notwithstanding the composition of the soil on which the farms are situated, the climate, the weather, and other environmental effects. The Tetteh Quarshie cocoa trees still have very huge stems, and they are comparable in height to the trees in the middle layer of tropical forests (Peprah, 2019). Their output is quite modest. In contrast to the Tetteh Quarshie, the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) has created cocoa seedlings with a shorter gestation period of 5 years or 7 years. Farmers dubbed it "agric" since the Ghana Agricultural Extension Service had introduced the seedlings (Peprah, 2019). These seedlings were designed to resemble Tetteh Quarshie in terms of their environmental preference, stem development, and height development. However, the yield is significantly better. In addition to a changing climate and other environmental issues, the soil has been significantly leached for nearly 100 years of cocoa cultivation. Cocoa chemical fertilizers are applied to the soil, and the cocoa trees are sprayed with various agrochemicals to prevent or control pests and diseases. The third cocoa seedling has been introduced in Ghana in the context of sustainable agriculture and the sustainability of Ghana's cocoa. COCOBOD, a subsidiary of Ghana COCOBOD, is tasked with providing assistance to cocoa farmers in reducing and removing old cocoa trees and replanting them with new cocoa seedlings (Peprah, 2019). The work is emotionally draining for the cocoa farmers, many of whom are older. At maturity, new cocoa seedlings are shorter, have smaller stems, and prefer the sun to the shade. As a result, deforested areas have become suitable for cocoa farming (Afolayan, 2020). The other issue threatening Ghana's cocoa sustainability is land utilization disagreement between cocoa farming and gold mining. Due to the higher and faster returns to gold mining as a land use, it has surpassed cocoa farming. Ghanaian cocoa farming faces a real threat to the sustainability of cocoa farming. The fear is heightened by the fact that many gold miners work illegally as "galamsey," which translates as "gather them and sell" (Peprah, 2019). The country's land tenure arrangement disadvantages tenant cocoa farmers. Tenant cocoa farmers have less land control than customary land owners. The "galamseyers" deal directly with the landowners, who do not directly benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Cocoa People In Ghana, the top-down blueprint method is commonly used in the decision-making process compared to the bottom-up technique. The sustainability of the cocoa industry would typically involve considering cocoa farmers at the forefront instead of the Ghana COCOBOD as presently witnessed. The impact will enhance the sustainability of cocoa production. For instance, the cocoa producers act as the significant link between the cocoa people. Various stakeholders within the cocoa industry include COCOBOD staff, farmers, and numerous players within the sector (Peprah, 2019). On average, cocoa farmers cultivate 4 ha of land. Customary land owners' cocoa farms and tenant cocoa farms are among the tenure arrangements for the farms. There are shared croppers and monetary cash rental land tenure arrangements. The cocoa farmer, on the other hand, has the passbook and has used it to sell dry cocoa beans. Cocoa farms, regardless of size, are regarded as valuable assets. They are inheritable assets that are frequently passed down from parents, uncles, aunts, and other relatives to their loved ones or the next in line. As a result, some cocoa farmers do not cultivate the farms they own (Afolayan, 2020). Some farmers also purchase fully developed and cultivated farms. COCOBOD is led by a CEO and two deputies, one for cocoa agronomy and the other for cocoa operations. The government appoints a board of directors to oversee all activities. The COCOBOD is overseen by the Ministry of Finance. It has eight directorates, seven departments, and five subsidiaries. Human resources, medical, audit, legal, research, finance, special services, security and intelligence, and general services estates, civil works, and transportation are among the directorates (Peprah, 2019). Public affairs, procurement, security, scholarships, information services, estates, and transportation are among the departments. The subsidiaries work to produce and market cocoa. The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), COCOBOD Seed Production Division (SPD), Cocoa Health and Extension Division, Quality Control Corporation, and Cocoa Marketing are among them. Discussions The literature reviews conducted indicate that the four major West African countries share in common the diverse causes of low cocoa harvests. The most common causes of low yields and production include insufficient fertilizer use, poor management of shade, low input application, lack of maintenance, old cocoa plantations, and poor pest and disease management (Peprah, 2019). The model below further demonstrates how the perceived factors influence cocoa production and overall yields. For instance, the high input prices, the farm gate cocoa price, the small farm size, and inaccessibility to loans and credits are classified as external factors that cannot be managed by the individual farmers (Merem et al., 2020). The highlighted aspects impact the overall cocoa production, albeit they have no direct effect on harvest. The Effect of Pests and Diseases Pests and diseases are found to be the primary causes of economic loss in cocoa production. For instance, in West Africa, cocoa farming is done by small-scale farmers who lack adequate resources and finance to facilitate the frequent chemical spraying and pest management. Agrochemicals are expensive and difficult to obtain for peasant farmers in the West African region.Some of the notable pests and diseases are illustrated below. Phytophthora Pod Rot (PPR) PPR, commonly referred to as black pod disease, is primarily caused by P. megakarya and P. palmiviora pathogen species. In both Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, the pathogens contribute to more than 40% of the annual pod losses (Afolayan, 2020). However, the highest cases of PPR are mostly located in Cameroon along the shaded cocoa region. As a result, continuous shade reduction and elimination of the infected rod reduce the disease prevalence to a given degree. According to Merem et al. (2020), regular spraying of chemicals like fungicides can effectively be applied to control the disease. However, a majority of farmers are found to be unable to adopt the latter approach due to the unfavourable cost of fungicides and implementation issues. Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease: The Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) exists in all the cocoa producing areas of West Africa. Ghana is one of the countries that have encountered the virulent strains of this type of disease, thereby resulting in the destruction of huge cocoa plantations over the past period of time. The virus is currently prevalent in Côte d'Ivoire, where the disease is thought to have been eradicated in the 1950s (Afolayan, 2020). Similar to other eradication measures, the management of CSSVD can be enhanced through the removal of infected cocoa plants while planting resistant varieties. However, the removal or elimination of the infected plants does not provide a permanent solution to the virus prevalence. Therefore, various studies have illustrated that constant breeding of resistance varieties can help provide the most appropriate solution for the problem. Mirids Mirids such as Sahlbergella singularis and Distantiella theobroma are the commonly known insect pests reducing cocoa productivity in the West Africa region. Previous studies have suggested that the perceived insects have contributed to about 35% of the annual crop loss in Code d’Ivoire and 25% in Ghana (Afolayan, 2020). The insects feed on the cocoa leaves and undeveloped twigs, thereby resulting in destruction of the leaves and the plants' overall health. The unshaded and slightly shaded areas are the most infected regions, characterized by a high number of insects and the formation of new flushes. Effective shade management and the use of insecticides are found to have a significant impact on insect control and management (Afolayan, 2020). Additional research has demonstrated that the majority of farmers do not practice pest control due to the high costs incurred in spraying insecticides. For instance, the process involves chemical acquisition, spraying equipment, and labor and capital. In West Africa, a country like Ghana offers pest control services to farmers that involve mass spraying. Conclusion and Recommendation Based on the research findings and discussions demonstrated above, the sustainability of the cocoa sector mainly depends on three primary and significant factors, such as the people, cocoa plants, and profit. The shareholders involved in the production process, particularly major producers and the cocoa farmers, are likely to be motivated by fairness in the profit sharing. Consequently, the farmers will preserve and offer remarkable consideration on their farms. With the help of COCOBOD, both large-scale and small-scale farmers will effectively manage the cocoa plants. Therefore, it would be recommendable that COCOBOD divide the growing number of cocoa growers into new and old farmers. The COCOBOD should then provide these farmers with specific incentives depending on their respective needs. The ancient farmers have established a more consistent income, although the novel formers have trickle income. Beyond cocoa prices, COCOBOD should focus on improving the standard of living for cocoa producers. Some cocoa goods, such as chocolate bars and drinks, should be made available to cocoa producers. Given the new government policy of providing free senior secondary education, the COCOBOD should expand the scholarship program to include universities. The adoption of the ethical economy strategy is strongly advised for the government and it is COCOBOD in order to guarantee the viability of the cocoa industry in Ghana. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in this situation becomes an economic endeavor with an economic value and return to all the stakeholders, rather than a moral commitment to cocoa farmers, their communities, and other cocoa employees, or compliance with international standards. References Afolayan, O. S. (2020). Cocoa production pattern in Nigeria: The missing link in regional agro-economic development. Analele Universităţii Din Oradea, Seria Geografie, 30(1), 88-96. http://istgeorelint.uoradea.ro/Reviste/Anale/Art/2020-1/auog-.pdf Friedman, R., Hirons, M. A., & Boyd, E. (2019). Vulnerability of Ghanaian women cocoa farmers to climate change: a typology. Climate and Development, 11(5), 446-458. Kosoe, E. A., & Ahmed, A. (2022). Climate change adaptation strategies of cocoa farmers in the Wassa East District: Implications for climate services in Ghana. Climate Services, 26, 100289. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S- Merem, E. C., Twumasi, Y. A., Wesley, J., Olagbegi, D., Crisler, M., Romorno, C., ... & Leggett, S. (2020). Exploring cocoa farm land use in the West African region. International Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 10(1), 19-39. DOI: 10.5923/j.ijaf- Peprah, K. (2019). Cocoa plant, people and profit in Ghana. 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