Scientists call for shade-grown cocoa to boost carbon savings and sector resilience

Planting shade trees on cocoa farms in West Africa, which supplies 60% of the world’s cocoa, could significantly reduce the chocolate industry’s environmental impact, reveals a study by the University of Queensland, Australia. Shade trees can improve soil fertility, regulate temperature, and reduce pest and disease pressure, increasing cocoa production’s resilience against climate and environmental stresses.

The team used satellite imagery and machine learning to analyze tree cover on farms in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. They found that the existing average shade-tree cover is low (13%), and “poorly aligned with climate threats.”

“We were struck by just how little agroforestry there is across Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and by the huge untapped potential to store carbon in these systems,” Wilma J. Blaser-Hart, study lead and research Fellow at the university, tells Food Ingredients First.

“Planting shade trees to recommended levels of 30-40% could offset more than the sector’s current emissions without reducing yields, transforming the entire cocoa industry.”

The research, published in Nature Sustainability, highlights that increasing shade-tree cover to at least 30% could offset approximately 167% of current cocoa-related emissions in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire without reducing cocoa production in these regions, which have recently drawn growing interest from chocolate manufacturers.

Technical and financial barriers

Despite its various benefits in improving cocoa production, increasing the shade-tree cover in West Africa is rife with barriers.

Limited market access and land rights reduce farmers’ incentives to plant trees, says Blaser-Hart.“Trees take years to grow, but farmers often need quick returns, and seedlings or technical advice aren’t always available when and where needed. Market access is another hurdle — if products from shade trees can’t be sold easily or at a good price, there’s less incentive to plant them,” Blaser-Hart explains.

Additionally, many farmers lack secure land or tree rights, limiting their ability to profit from timber or tree products.

“In some regions, farmers also rely on the natural fertility of newly cleared forest to grow cocoa and then move on when yields decline, so there is little incentive to invest in shade trees that could maintain soil health and keep the same land productive for decades.”

Agroforestry for climate benefits

The authors note that the study’s findings can have practical implications if cocoa farmers integrate more shade trees into their farms, aiming for “around 30-40% canopy cover.”

“Our previous research and other studies show that while shade trees provide important benefits — like storing carbon and providing habitat for wildlife — they can compete with cocoa for light, water, and nutrients if there are too many,” notes Blaser-Hart.

She explains that the 30-40% shade can help farmers significantly boost carbon storage and wildlife habitat while maintaining cocoa yields. “Well-designed agroforestry, with shade that is neither too low nor too high, means farmers don’t have to choose between productivity and climate benefits, making it a powerful solution.”

Scaling plantation

Blaser-Hart notes that despite investments in shade-tree planting by chocolate manufacturers,  more action is needed for a sector-wide shift. She urges scaling up tree planting, especially in climate-vulnerable zones and buffer areas near protected forests.

Using satellite images and machine learning to examine farms in West Africa, the team found that shade trees on cocoa farms store significant carbon above and below ground.“Policymakers can create incentives and help farmers gain secure rights to their land and the trees they plant so that they can benefit from them in the long run.”

“They could also promote natural regeneration alongside planting, where conditions permit, to maximize results.”

Driving future incentives

The authors note that their approach to measuring shade-tree cover can be extended to other shade-tolerant crops such as coffee. 

“By mapping tree cover and estimating carbon storage, we can identify areas with untapped potential for integrating shade trees — without compromising yields,” says Blaser-Hart. 

“Although coffee thrives under slightly different ecological conditions and may respond differently to shade compared to cocoa, adapting our methodology to coffee systems could inform sustainability strategies and uncover comparable opportunities for carbon sequestration.”

The team is now building its shade-tree cover maps to identify where planting more trees will benefit biodiversity, especially forest birds and mammals.

“Since recent planting efforts cover only about 8% of cocoa farms, these maps will help guide future tree-planting initiatives, ensuring that industry and policymakers focus efforts where they’ll have the biggest impact for both carbon storage and biodiversity,” she concludes.