Cocoa farming has intensified in recent years to boost production. But this has come at a cost – many cocoa farms now suffer from declining soil health, caused by poor farming practices and a lack of soil management.
Soil health is crucial not only for growing cocoa, but also for supporting biodiversity and protecting the environment. Unfortunately, most cocoa farmers and advisors do not have the tools or training to monitor and assess soil health. This leaves a major gap in their ability to farm sustainably.
To address this, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) carries out a project to create a practical and scientifically sound system for monitoring and assessing soil health on cocoa farms. Working with 600–1000 farms in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, and Peru, we aim to provide farmers and their advisors with simple tools and knowledge to check and improve soil health. This will lay the foundation for better farm productivity, stronger rural livelihoods, and a more sustainable cocoa production.
Project manager
