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Trade-offs and Synergies between Economic and Environmental Cocoa Farm Management Decisions
Joseph Bandanaa1,2, Isaac K Asante3, Irene S Egyir4
1Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies University of Ghana Legon Box LG 209, Legon, Accra Ghana.
Global Challenges (Hoboken, NJ)
|August 12, 2024
Summary
This study on Ghanaian cocoa farms reveals organic farming enhances environmental sustainability and biodiversity, while conventional methods face challenges. Tailored strategies are needed for both systems to achieve long-term agricultural goals.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Sustainability
- Environmental Science
- Agronomy
Background:
- Smallholder farms face inherent trade-offs when optimizing sustainability.
- Cocoa farming is a significant agricultural sector in Ghana, employing many smallholder farmers.
- Assessing sustainability requires robust frameworks to address complex interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare the sustainability performance of organic and conventional cocoa smallholder farming systems in Ghana.
- To identify specific trade-offs and synergies within each farming system.
- To provide recommendations for improving sustainability in cocoa smallholder agriculture.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) Guidelines.
- Employed the Sustainability Monitoring and Assessment Routine (SMART)-Farm Tool for farm-level assessment.
- Assessed a total of 398 smallholder farms, encompassing both organic and conventional practices.
Main Results:
- Organic farming demonstrated synergies in environmental aspects, including improved soil quality and energy efficiency.
- Organic systems showed positive links between biodiversity conservation and risk management.
- Conventional farming presented vulnerabilities, with trade-offs observed in long-term investments and species diversity.
Conclusions:
- Both organic and conventional cocoa farming systems require tailored approaches to achieve short-term economic and environmental sustainability.
- Integrating practices like material reuse, recycling, and recovery can mitigate trade-offs in conventional farming.
- Alignment with community-wide long-term goals is crucial for sustainable agricultural development in smallholder systems.
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