Show simple item record

Characterization of cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient in Ghana

dc.contributor.authorAbdulai, Issaka
dc.contributor.authorJassogne, Laurence T.P.
dc.contributor.authorGraefe, Sophie
dc.contributor.authorAsare, Richard
dc.contributor.authorAsten, Piet J.A. van
dc.contributor.authorLäderach, Peter
dc.contributor.authorVaast, Philippe
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-04T11:19:16Z
dc.date.available2019-12-04T11:19:16Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.identifier.citationAbdulai, Issaka, Jassogne, Laurence, Graefe, Sophie, Asare, Richard, Van Asten, Piet, Läderach, Peter, Vaast, Philippe. (2018) Characterization of cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient in Ghana, PLoS ONE 13(4): e0195777.
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12478/3433
dc.description.abstractReduced climatic suitability due to climate change in cocoa growing regions of Ghana is expected in the coming decades. This threatens farmers’ livelihood and the cocoa sector. Climate change adaptation requires an improved understanding of existing cocoa production systems and farmers’ coping strategies. This study characterized current cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient within the cocoa belt of Ghana. The objectives were to 1) compare existing production and income diversification between dry, mid and wet climatic regions, and 2) identify shade trees in cocoa agroforestry systems and their distribution along the climatic gradient. Our results showed that current mean cocoa yield level of 288kg ha-1yr-1 in the dry region was significantly lower than in the mid and wet regions with mean yields of 712 and 849 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. In the dry region, farmers diversified their income sources with non-cocoa crops and off-farm activities while farmers at the mid and wet regions mainly depended on cocoa (over 80% of annual income). Two shade systems classified as medium and low shade cocoa agroforestry systems were identified across the studied regions. The medium shade system was more abundant in the dry region and associated to adaptation to marginal climatic conditions. The low shade system showed significantly higher yield in the wet region but no difference was observed between the mid and dry regions. This study highlights the need for optimum shade level recommendation to be climatic region specific.
dc.format.extent13(4): e0195777
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherPublic Library of Science
dc.subjectTheobroma Cacao
dc.subjectClimate Change
dc.subjectCambio Climatico
dc.subjectClimate Change Adaptation
dc.subjectAdaptación Al Cambio Climático
dc.subjectProduction
dc.subjectDrought
dc.subjectSequia
dc.subjectAgroforestry
dc.subjectSistemas Agroforestales
dc.titleCharacterization of cocoa production, income diversification and shade tree management along a climate gradient in Ghana
dc.typeJournal Article
dc.description.versionPeer Review
cg.contributor.crpClimate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Center for Tropical Agriculture
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
cg.contributor.affiliationCentre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement
cg.contributor.affiliationWorld Agroforestry Centre
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionWest Africa
cg.coverage.countryGhana
cg.creator.identifierPeter Läderach: 0000-0001-8708-6318
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.journalPLoS ONE
cg.howpublishedFormally Published
cg.accessibilitystatusOpen Access
local.dspaceid95360
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195777


Files in this item

Thumbnail
Name:
U18ArtAbdulaiCharacterizationI ...
Size:
2.408Mb
Format:
PDF
View/Open

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record