Baseline Constraints Analysis and Research Needs for Cocoa

and Other Tree Systems

Planning Meeting of the Horticulture and Tree Crops Program, November 24, 2009

Cocoa--Background• Most important cash crop in humid forest zone of Cote

d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. In 2008/2009 the West African farm gate receipts :– $1.2 billion in RCI– $700 million in Ghana– $500 million in Nigeria and – $400 million in Cameroon

• Government revenues – $1 billion in RCI – $650 million in Ghana

• Output has grown by roughly 4% in last 20 years in West Africa but yields have grown by less than 1%.

• Cocoa is among the principal drivers of deforestation in West Africa.

Low Productivity

• Yields (KG/HA) decline over time

Ghana 421 433

Cote d’Ivoire 200 490

Nigeria 361 558

Cameroon 378 593

OLD COCOA REGION NEW COCOA REGION

A. Research Thrust OneRehabilitation

Old tree stocks

• Median age above 25 years• Use of land races• Dysfunctional seed production and distribution

systems• Limited development of clonal varieties• No diffusion of clonal material • Too much shade• Average height of trees hampers management

Cocoa genetics• Traditional recurrent breeding programs• Perennial tree crop with 7 to 8 years to establish trial results• State-owned seed gardens for multiplication very inefficient, not

upgraded, most with varieties developed in the 60s.• Significant investment by private sector (Mars) and public sector

(USDA and CIRAD) in genome sequencing and MAS• Investments in somatic embryogensis by Nestle’s• Virtual germplasm conservation strategy coordinated by

CACAONET http://www.cacaonet.org/ created Global Strategic Active Collection (GSAC) as a dynamic and dispersed collection composed of accessions that are in the public domain and with combinations of characteristics of immediate value to breeders. Of 247 accessions only 26% in 2 or more locations. 100 accessions in prebreeding collection

• 70% of cocoa output from WCA but no international genebank in the region

Soil fertility

• Old cocoa growing areas typically show declining yields. Little fertilizer used in sector.

In areas where there is some use there is usually only one recommendation

Cassava and plantains are most widespread and economically important staples in food belt. Need to bring these crops along with cocoa.

Timber, fruit tree, plantain, cassava associations

• Cocoa Livelihoods Program to plant 18,500 ha of improved cocoa with trees

• Cocoa Livelihoods Program to plant 18,500 ha of improved cocoa with improved cassava and plantains

B. Research Thrust TwoIPM and quality

Pest and Disease

• Black pod disease up to 90% losses w/ Phytophthora megakarya; 10-30% w/ P. palmivora

• Capsids/mirids up to 25 % losses attacks pods• Cocoa swollen shoot virus (badnavirus)—

requires uprooting of infected tree. Seemed dormant up until recently, is getting to be a real problem in RCI, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. COPAL has called for a regional research effort.

Quality standards/food safety/pesticide residues

• New EU minimum residue levels

• Ochratoxin and aflatoxin can be high

• Free fatty acids and polyphenols

Institutional issues• Lack of extension services

• Undeveloped fertilizer markets

• Seed distribution

• Credit markets

• Land tenure

Sources ofProductivityInnovations

Sources ofMarketing

and financialinnovations

Sources ofDiversification &

Cocoa AgroforestryInnovations

Farmer beneficiaries

Extension services

NGOs

Farm suppliers

Farmer organizations

Exporters

Buying agents

Financial institutions

STCP Innovation Platform

STCP Innovation Platform

Innovation Testing and Validation,Integrated Production and Marketing Approach

Policy and Impact Analysis,Institutional Analysis of Scaling Out,

Research on Innovation Pathways and Knowledge Delivery Systems,

Stakeholders