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Sustainable Cocoa Growing
What is Sustainable Cocoa GrowingSustainable cocoa farming uses agricultural methods that integrate sound ecological, economic and small farm practices. The farmer maintains or increases his cocoa bean production each year by using efficient, low-cost methods that minimize impact on the rainforest environment. At the same time, sustainable growing allows the farmer to increase his family's standard of living. Biodiversity in Cocoa FarmingSustainable growing means that cocoa trees are grown in a biologically diverse agricultural system, along with other economically beneficial trees. Since cocoa trees require shade, they can be grown under a canopy of commercially valuable trees such as banana and rubber. Other shade trees provide local foods, such as grumixana, sapote and breadfruit. Shade trees can also provide timber and other fiber products. By carefully choosing and planting shade trees, farmers reap many economic and ecological benefits from a diverse tree crop. This combination of agriculture and forestry is known as agroforestry. VIDEO: Designing the Cocoa Agroforest (1 Min., 35 Sec.)Allen M. Young, Ph.D., Milwaukee Public Museum Products of Biodiversity
With biodiversity there are more plants and animals for food, for timber, for fiber, for construction work, for flooring, for roofing, for everything that is required on the farm. Many trees and plants also provide habitats and food for animals. Farmers can harvest these animals for family consumption. The products include 40-50 different species of fruit trees in the cocoa orchard:
VIDEO: Agroforestry and the Small Farmer (1 Min.)Allen M. Young, Ph.D., Milwaukee Public Museum
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