Farm Models/Socio-Economic Research
Providing options for cocoa farmers in order to develop more sustainable farming systems is a key priority for the World Cocoa Foundation. WCF is interested in research into various farm models for cocoa production (eg. use of companion crops, economically useful shade trees, optimal farm size, mosaic structure for cocoa with other crops, etc.).
Programs Supported:
- Cocoa and Other Perennial Crops: New Directions for Investment – Toward a Double Green Revolution? The Case of Côte d’Ivoire (CIRAD)
Cocoa and Other Perennial Crops: New Directions for Investment – Toward a Double Green Revolution? The Case of Côte d’Ivoire
Project Dates: Ongoing since 2000
Funding: World Cocoa Foundation and Centre de Coopération internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD)
Research Institute: CIRAD
Project Leader: Dr. François Ruf
Country: Côte d’Ivoire
Key Activities:
- Conduct a survey encompassing approximately 500 farms in 7 departments.
- Evaluate: migration and investment trends from 1960-2007; land and labor markets over the past 5 years; use of fertilizers and pesticides from 1997-2007; farmer initiatives regarding timber trees; farmer adoption of innovations such as organic fertilizer; and, real prices paid to producers in context of growing uncertainty.
Significance: The research will inform the design of development projects aiming to address diversification of income/production.