Intercropping and Agroforestry
Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity to each other. In the context of cocoa farming, intercropping may include the integration of other tree crops (such as fruits and nuts), perennial crops, medicinal plants, spices, and timber trees. Cocoa farms are often established within existing forests and include a great variety of native trees and plants as well as a diverse array of crops. For example, a survey of cocoa farms in Cameroon conducted through the Sustainable Tree Crops Program identified 255 plant species on 67 hectare of land. Such areas are known as agroforestry systems.
Agroforestry is advantageous to the cocoa tree, the farmer and the environment. The other trees provide shade and create microclimatic conditions that are adverse to cocoa pests and diseases. From an economic standpoint, growing several different crops allows the farmer to intensify land use, minimize the costs of inputs such as fertilizer, and diversify income. Growing cocoa in this manner can be beneficial to the environment by preserving the forest, providing a habitat for key animal species, and conserving the soil.
The practice of intercropping and agroforestry varies across regions. The World Cocoa Foundation and its partners support a variety of research and farmer training programs to meet local needs.
Regional Spotlights
West Africa: Tree Diversification
In West Africa, cocoa farms range from the highly diverse cocoa agroforests of Cameroon to the relative cocoa monocultures found in parts of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Trees commonly found on cocoa farms include fruits, such as mango and avocado, and timber. Crops often grown with cocoa include cassava, bananas, maize, and yams. Tree diversification is the process of integrating food crops, native trees and other tree crops into the farm.
Through the Sustainable Tree Crops Program, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Forest & Landscape Denmark are working to develop a participatory learning approach to assist farmers with the process of tree diversification. The work combines farmers’ knowledge and experience with research findings to provide farmers with the information they need to practice tree diversification in the establishment and maintenance of their cocoa farms.
Latin America: Research at CATIE
In Latin America, cocoa is commonly grown with perennial crops such as rubber, timber trees, fruit trees such as rambutan, avocado and citrus, shade and soil improving trees, and medicinal plants.
CATIE in Costa Rica generates, disseminates and promotes the application of scientific and technical knowledge on cocoa agroforestry through master’s degree, Ph.D and short term training programs. It is also a center for research, publication and dissemination of technical and scientific information to farmers, professionals, government agencies and the international scientific community.
Southeast Asia: Promoting Intercropping in the Philippines
In the Philippines, cacao is traditionally grown in a mixed cropping system with coconut, fruit trees, herbal/medicinal shrubs, and spices such as black pepper, ginger and chili peppers. In the 1980s, the traditional cropping system was formally packaged by the government with technological improvements. Cacao was included under the 1982 National Coconut Intercropping Program and in the 1986 Expanded National Coconut Intercropping Program along with coffee and several types of fruit trees.
Growing cacao as a cohabitating crop can be an effective poverty alleviation tool. The approach allows farmers to establish stable cash flow and minimize the impact of price fluctuations for cocoa beans and other crops affected by movements in world prices.
Within this context, the Philippine cacao development roadmap evolved with a key role for SUCCESS Alliance Philippines. The SUCCESS Alliance farming training curriculum includes selection of crops to grow with cacao, maintenance of these crops, management of pests and diseases, recycling of farm wastes into soil enhancing materials, and marketing. This information is disseminated through farming training sessions and model farms.
Intercropping and Agroforestry Stories
- Success Story: Umbrellas for Cocoa Trees: Farmers Renew Traditional Practice of Shade Farming in Ghana
- Mr. Song of Ba Ria Vung Tau Province, Vietnam diversifies his black pepper farm with cocoa.
- Ms. Rebecca Ashley Asare of the Yale School of Forestry studies social ecology in Ghana.
- The Sokamak Cooperative in Cameroon provides a diverse variety of seedlings to it members to assist with crop diversification.
- Mr. Richard Asare of IITA/Forest and Landscape Denmark discusses his work in Ghana.
- Mr. Nolie Vasquez of Palawan, the Philippines learns to practice agroforestry.
- Dr. Eduardo Somarriba of CATIE discusses his work in Costa Rica.
- View presentations from the Returns to Farmers, Industry & Environment from Agroforestry Investments Workshop from the May 2007 WCF Partnership Meeting.
For More Information
Read papers on agroforestry and environmental sustainability