Cacao Farmers Research Articles

Market Landscape and Digital Presence of Cacao-based Products in Bicol Region, Philippines

The Philippines stands as one of the world's emerging players in the cacao industry with its potential to contribute substantial impact in the global cacao market. A research study was conducted to determine the market landscape and marketing strategies conducted by cacao farmers and processors in Bicol region, Philippines. Surveys and interviews were conducted to capture diverse perspectives and insights of 70 cacao farmers, processors, traders and retailers. Result of the study showed that demographic characteristics of the group shows the predominance of traditional farming activities combined with a significant involvement in processing and trading which highlights a diversified approach to agriculture. Majority are directly involved in selling goods to consumers, either through retail or a combination of wholesale and retail activities. There is a strong inclination towards digital marketing and direct consumer engagement, alongside traditional wholesale and retail strategies. Market outlet for cacao products in the province suggests that most market activities are locally or provincially focused, with some engagement in regional and international markets. In terms of pricing information, there is a reliance on formal and market-based sources. Likewise, most businesses recognize the value of social media in reaching customers and promoting products. Recommendations include developing targeted marketing campaigns to specific consumer segments within the province, harnessing and further strengthening the power of digital marketing channels, including social media, e-commerce platforms, and influencer partnerships, strengthening collaboration with other stakeholders across the cacao value chain to improve market linkages and promotion and continue conducting market research and consumer preferences and monitor market trends.

First national mapping of cadmium in cacao beans in Colombia

Cacao crops in Colombia play a fundamental role in its economy. Cacao bean exports have a rising tendency due to increased area and production. However, cadmium (Cd) in cacao beans has affected market in Colombia. The aim of this study is to assess Cd distribution hotspots for cacao beans, Cd in beans and soil relationships, geological ages and soil chemical parameters, overall Cd dynamics, soil-to-plant translocation, and EU regulation impacts on Cd presence in Colombian cacao production. A hot and cold spot analysis combined with a cluster and outlier analysis was used to build the geographic Cd distribution in cacao beans in Colombia. Cadmium in the subsurface and the relationship with Cd in the soil surface of cacao farms were analysed using the geoaccumulation index (Igeo). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) and soil chemical features in cacao beans were quantified. Positive correlations were observed within all the studied variables except for Mn and Fe. The highest correlation was observed within Ca, pH, and Cd in soil. The Valanginian-Albian and Albian-Maastrichtian geological ages are directly related to Cd in beans, Zn, P, soil Cd, and Fe. Regions with the highest cacao productivity and export registered an average Cd concentration in beans of 2.39_ ± _2.82 mg kg−1. Two municipalities in Santander were ‘partially contaminated’ according to Igeo. The BCF was not directly proportional to soil and bean Cd level and did not fully coincide with hot spots. This evidence reinforces the idea that even areas with apparently low Cd levels may register a latent problem associated with genetic/ontogenetic, climatic, or management factors. This first distribution map of Cd in cacao beans constitutes a tool to implement actions to minimize risks and face challenges posed by the imposed regulations that may limit raw cacao bean exports in Colombia.

The role of landscape context in shaping bat assemblages in African cacao plantations

Cacao production is mostly concentrated in Africa, with this continent exporting an impressive 68.4 % of the world's cacao. The increasing demand for cacao from the Global North has already led to massive deforestation in Ghana and Ivory Coast and cacao-driven deforestation is likely to continue changing landscapes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bats are affected by these landscape changes due to their dependence on multiple resources spread at a large spatial scale. Although bats can save cacao farmers millions of euros through pest suppression, no study has investigated how landscape context affects bat communities in African cacao plantations. Here for the first time, we studied how abundance and richness of insectivorous, frugivorous and nectarivorous bats within cacao landscapes could be affected by cover type and the distance between these habitats and each cacao plantation. We sampled bats using mist-nets in 38 cacao plantations spread throughout southern Cameroon from 2017 to 2020. We found that guilds responded differently to the distance and amount of cover of each of the land cover types, with the scale of response being habitat-dependent. Overall, insectivorous bats were associated positively with high cover of natural habitats (e.g., tree cover, rangeland, and flooded vegetation), and negatively with nearby anthropogenic disturbance (e.g., logging and intensive agriculture). Frugivorous and nectarivorous bats were associated to the presence of natural habitats with water and of nearby anthropogenic habitats (e.g., human settlements, community forests and unpaved roads), probably due to the presence of more fruiting and flowering trees. Considering the associations found between the landscape metrics and bats, we propose three different conceptual designs to manage cacao landscapes: one for insectivores, one for frugivores/nectarivores and a third design that maximises the trade-offs between these three guilds. By safeguarding the diversity of these three guilds farmers can maintain pest suppression services within their plantations and guarantee healthy and long-lasting sustainable cacao landscapes through bats' pollination and seed dispersal.

Local methods for the control of Monalonion dissimulatun pest in cacao farms in Florencia- Caquetá

This study was carried out in the municipality of Florencia, department of Caquetá, in the village of El Venado, subdivision of San Julián. With the objective of knowing what are the local methods that producers implement to control the Monalonion dissimulatum pest in cocoa crops, through which they used different methodological strategies such as the development of interviews, where they relied on participant observation, which which allowed having a checklist through which they evidenced the processes, dates and frequencies that were carried out to mitigate the plague. Finally, they determined that the most used methods are cultural control and biological control, giving more credit to cultural control, since through it they obtained better results, such as a significant reduction of the sources of contamination due to the implementation of the technique of pruning, this being an important factor in the reproduction of the Monalonion, that is, they managed to attack the places of focus of contamination, more specifically, in places with greater shade or that present little solar radiation

Local methods for the control of Monalonion dissimulatun pest in cacao farms in Florencia- Caquetá

This study was carried out in the municipality of Florencia, department of Caquetá, in the village of El Venado, subdivision of San Julián. With the objective of knowing what are the local methods that producers implement to control the Monalonion dissimulatum pest in cocoa crops, through which they used different methodological strategies such as the development of interviews, where they relied on participant observation, which which allowed having a checklist through which they evidenced the processes, dates and frequencies that were carried out to mitigate the plague. Finally, they determined that the most used methods are cultural control and biological control, giving more credit to cultural control, since through it they obtained better results, such as a significant reduction of the sources of contamination due to the implementation of the technique of pruning, this being an important factor in the reproduction of the Monalonion, that is, they managed to attack the places of focus of contamination, more specifically, in places with greater shade or that present little solar radiation

UNVEILING THE DYNAMICS OF DOMESTIC PRICES OF CACAO BEANS IN INDONESIA

This study is crucial for understanding the factors affecting cacao bean prices in Indonesia. Cacao is a vital commodity in the country's economy, and fluctuations in its price impact various stakeholders. By analyzing these factors, we can make informed decisions benefiting the government, industry, and cacao farmers. The purpose of this study is to analyze the domestic price of cacao beans in Indonesia. The dependent variable in this study is the domestic price of cacao in Indonesia, while the independent variables are volume of cacao bean exports, volume of cacao bean imports, global price of cacao beans, volume of domestic production of cacao beans, Rupiah to USD exchange rate, the federal reserve rate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annual growth rate of Indonesia, and export duties imposed on export of cacao beans. This research design utilizes time series data from 1996 to 2022 to analyze the factors influencing the domestic price of cacao beans in Indonesia. The results of the analysis show that the variables of the volume of cacao bean imports, the global price of cacao beans, Rupiah to USD exchange rate, and dummy variable for export duties imposed on export of cacao beans are significant affecting the domestic price of cacao. While volume of cacao bean exports, the federal reserve rate, volume of domestic production of cacao beans and GDP annual growth rate of Indonesia are not significant. The non-significance of volume of cacao bean exports, the federal reserve rate, volume of domestic production of cacao beans, and GDP annual growth rate could be caused by weak relationships, multicollinearity, data issues, or model specification limitations.

Association between bacterial community and cadmium distribution across Colombian cacao crops.

Cadmium (Cd) content in cacao crops is an issue that generates interest due to the commercialization of chocolate for human consumption. Several studies provided evidence about the non-biological factors involved in its translocation into the cacao plant. However, factors related to this process, including soil bacterial community composition (SBCC), still need to be addressed. It is well known that soil microbiome could impact compounds' chemical transformation, including Cd, on the field. Here, we found the first evidence of the link between soil bacterial community composition and Cd concentration in cacao soils and seeds. It highlights the importance of including the variation of bacterial communities to assess the factors driving the Cd translocation into cacao seeds. Moreover, the results highlight the relevance of the spatial heterogeneity within and across cacao farms, influencing the variability of Cd concentrations.

Comparative assessment of copper pollution, bioavailability, and ecological risks in soil-cacao systems under organic versus conventional management

The continuous use of fertilizers and fungicides has triggered copper (Cu) contamination in cacao soils in Ghana, which is a critical issue for the ecological risk and health safety of cacao products. In this study, we investigated Cu pollution, bioavailability, and ecological risk in soil and determined the Cu levels in the cacao nib, shell, and pod husk. Soils were collected at two soil depths (0–15 ​cm and 15–30 ​cm) from 20 cacao farms, under conventional (CCM: chemical-based fertilizers) and organic (OCM: organic-based fertilizers) management practices together with pods. The total Cu concentration ranged from 67.6 to 96.8 ​mg ​kg−1 in OCM and 28.5–33.9 ​mg ​kg−1 in CCM soil, which decreased with soil depth. The enrichment factor revealed minimal Cu enrichment, which was attributed to anthropogenic activity (fungicide and fertilizer applications). The contamination factor and geoaccumulation index values were low for the CCM soils, and moderate for the OCM soils. Both management systems pose a low potential ecological risk to soil biota activity. Bioavailable Cu extracted with CaCl2, NH4OAc, and DTPA was dominant in CCM soil and decreased with soil depth. The Cu concentration in cacao plants decreased in the order of shell > pod husk > nib, with nib-Cu being below the threshold (50.0 ​mg ​kg−1) of contamination. The results from the pairwise correlation analysis show that CaCl2-available Cu is better for evaluating the Cu content in cacao plants. This study reveals the pollution levels associated with cacao management practices, thus providing valuable insights for developing appropriate mitigation strategies.

SUSTAINABILITY OF CACAO INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN DAVAO DEL NORTE, PHILIPPINES

This study aimed to target four distinct research objectives which included describing the socio-economic profile of the cacao farmers-beneficiaries of the development programs in Davao del Norte, identifying the dimensions, level of the sustainability index, factors affecting the sustainability of the said development programs. This study utilized the quantitative research design employing the descriptive approach, the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the regression analysis technique. One research questionnaire was used as instrument in this study. A total of 260 farmers served as respondents to this study. The findings revealed that majority of the cacao farmers in Davao del Norte are male, married, aged 56-65 years old, Catholic Christian, Bisaya, with 41-50 years of farming experience, with 10 years and below cacao farming experience, earning a monthly income of Php. 10,000.00 and below, belonging to a household size with 4-6 members, having a membership to either Pamacaun Farmers Association, Alonga Sagayen Water System Association, or Cacao Farmers Linao Association, and with 6 to 10 years of membership. Moreover, findings also revealed 14 emerging dimensions of the sustainability of cacao industry development programs in Davao del Norte based on the responses of the cacao respondents. Furthermore, it was also found that the level of sustainability index of cacao industry development programs in Davao del Norte vary from one another. Lastly, findings revealed that only four of the factors significantly affected the sustainability of cacao industry development programs in Davao del Norte which are the years of farming experience, household size, organization membership, and years of membership. KEYWORDS: Sustainability, Development Programs, Cacao Industry

Using ddRADseq to assess the genetic diversity of in-farm and gene bank cacao resources in the Baracoa region, eastern Cuba, for use and conservation purposes.

The Baracoa region, eastern Cuba, hosts around 80 % of the country cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) plantations. Cacao plants in farms are diverse in origin and propagation, with grafted and hybrid plants being the more common ones. Less frequent are plants from cuttings, TSH progeny, and traditional Cuban cacao. A national cacao gene bank is also present in Baracoa, with 282 accessions either prospected in Cuba or introduced from other countries. A breeding program associated with the gene bank started in the 1990s based on agro-morphological descriptors. The genetic diversity of cacao resources in Baracoa has been poorly described, except for traditional Cuban cacao, affecting the proper development of the breeding program and the cacao planting policies in the region. To assess the population structure and genetic diversity of cacao resources in Baracoa region, we genotyped plants from both cacao gene bank (CG) and cacao farms (CF) applying a new ddRADseq protocol for cacao. After data processing, two SNPs datasets containing 11,425 and 6,481 high-quality SNPs were generated with 238 CG and 135 CF plants, respectively. SNPs were unevenly distributed along the 10 cacao chromosomes and laid mainly in noncoding regions of the genome. Population structure analysis with these SNP datasets identified seven and four genetic groups in CG and CF samples, respectively. Clustering using UPGMA and principal component analysis mostly agree with population structure results. Amelonado was the predominant cacao ancestry, accounting for 49.22 % (CG) and 57.73 % (CF) of the total. Criollo, Contamana, Iquitos, and Nanay ancestries were detected in both CG and CF samples, while Nacional and Marañon backgrounds were only identified in CG. Genetic differentiation among CG (FST ranging from 0.071 to 0.407) was higher than among CF genetic groups (FST: 0.093-0.282). Genetic diversity parameters showed similar values for CG and CF samples. The CG and CF genetic groups with the lowest genetic diversity parameters had the highest proportion of Amelonado ancestry. These results should contribute to reinforcing the ongoing breeding program and updating the planting policies on cacao farms, with an impact on the social and economic life of the region.

Changes in GC-MS metabolite profile, antioxidant capacity and anthocyanins content during fermentation of fine-flavor cacao beans from Ecuador.

The fermentation of fine-flavor cacao beans is a key process contributing to the enhancement of organoleptic attributes and monetary benefits for cacao farmers. This work aimed to describe the dynamics of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) metabolite profile as well as the antioxidant capacity and anthocyanin contents during fermentation of fine-flavor cacao beans. Samples of Nacional x Trinitario cacao beans were obtained after 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours of spontaneous fermentation. Total phenolic content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total anthocyanin content were measured by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometry. Volatiles were adsorbed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) while other metabolites were assessed by an extraction-derivatization method followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detection and identification. Thirty-two aroma-active compounds were identified in the samples, including 17 fruity, and 9 floral-like volatiles as well as metabolites with caramel, chocolate, ethereal, nutty, sweet, and woody notes. Principal components analysis and Heatmap-cluster analysis of volatile metabolites grouped samples according to the fermentation time. Additionally, the total anthocyanin content declined during fermentation, and FRAP-TPC values showed a partial correlation. These results highlight the importance of fermentation for the improvement of the fine-flavor characteristics of cacao beans.

Rapid Automatic Cacao Pod Borer Detection Using Edge Computing on Low-End Mobile Devices

The cacao pod borer (CPB) (Conopomorpha cramerella) is an invasive insect that causes significant economic loss for cacao farmers. One of the most efficient ways to reduce CPB damage is to continuously monitor its presence. Currently, most automated technologies for continuous insect pest monitoring rely on an internet connection and a power source. However, most cacao plantations are remotely located and have limited access to internet and power sources; therefore, a simpler and readily available tool is necessary to enable continuous monitoring. This research proposes a mobile application developed for rapid and on-site counting of CPBs on sticky paper traps. A CPB counting algorithm was developed and optimized to enable on-device computations despite memory constraints and limited capacity of low-end mobile phones. The proposed algorithm has an F1-score of 0.88, with no significant difference from expert counts (R2 = 0.97, p-value = 0.55, α = 0.05). The mobile application can be used to provide the required information for pest control methods on-demand and is also accessible for low-income farms. This is one of the first few works on enabling on-device processing for insect pest monitoring.

Metabolome profiling of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) callus under drought stress conditions induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) as osmoticant.

The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), a perennial crop that serves as a source of cacao beans, can suffer from drastic climate changes such as irregular rainfall and shorter rainy seasons. The search for hybrids which are capable of producing specific metabolites favoring adaptation in new climatic conditions is a challenge in cacao farming. We aimed to (1) analyze the metabolic changes in calli of three cacao genotypes during water deficit induced by incubation with polyethylene glycol and (2) assess their response to water deficit stress with regard to somatic embryo differentiation. Metabolic profiling was carried out using 1H-NMR spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis was applied to crude extracts of calli grown in non-stress or water deficit stress conditions. Water deficit stress influences the capacity of calli to produce embryos. The SCA12 genotype exhibited the best conversion capacity under severe conditions and was considered as tolerant to drought, followed by the SCA6 genotype (mid-tolerant) and the MA12 genotype (sensitive). Fifty-four metabolites were identified in the three cacao genotypes and discriminant metabolites were identified. Metabolites involved in water stress tolerance such as fructose, trans-aconitic acid, leucine, and hydroxybenzene derivatives were observed in SCA12, the tolerant genotype. These results demonstrate the utility of 1H-NMR metabolomics as an essential tool for the analysis of the drought tolerance characteristics of T. cacao.

Accumulation of cadmium in soils, litter and leaves in cacao farms in the North Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in Colombian cacao is a growing concern due to its potential health impacts and EU regulations on Cd content in chocolate products. Furthermore, cacao plays a significant role as an agricultural commodity and a tool for illegal crop replacement, yet our regional understanding of Cd dynamics in cacao cultivation in the north flank of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is still limited. This research provides the first comprehensive investigation of cadmium biogeochemistry in cacao agroecosystems by analyzing the interactions between subsurface soils, topsoil, rock fragments, litter, and cacao leaf Cd concentrations from 30 farms. Results reveal generally low mean total soil Cd concentrations for topsoil and subsurface soils at 0.12 mg kg−1 and 0.05 mg kg−1, respectively. Leaf and litter Cd concentrations are significantly higher (p < 0.05) than soil Cd, with a mean of 0.42 and 0.4 mg kg−1, respectively. Our results suggest that age dependent surface-level processes such as the bioaccumulation and biocycling of Cd over time through the leaves, litter, and topsoil, govern Cd in the topsoil, leading to older cultivars and trees exhibiting higher Cd concentrations in leaves, litter, and soils. Subsurface soil Cd is primarily driven by geogenic Cd coming from the weathering of the underlying bedrock with a hypothesized contribution from pedogenic Cd being translocated to deeper soil horizons from the topsoil via clay and oxide illuviation. Our research provides insights into the accumulation of Cd in cacao plants and soils, which can lead to long-term preferential accumulation of cadmium on soil layers and thus increase plant uptake through roots.

Polysaccharide from Inga edulis Pods: Emulsifying Potential and Evaluation of the Extraction Conditions Using Taguchi Approach

Inga edulis fruits, an important cultivation commonly associated with coffee and cacao farming, were collected from Baturité, located in Ceará, Brazil. Polysaccharides from Inga edulis pods were extracted using citric acid solution, and the impact of the extraction conditions in the properties of the resultant polysaccharide such as the degree of methyl-esterification behavior and galacturonic content were evaluated utilizing Taguchi approach, an efficient and easy statistical tool. For the study, the extraction conditions applied were pH (2.4, 5 and 7), time (1, 2 and 3 h) and temperature (70, 80 and 90 °C). The condition which provides the higher degree of methyl esterification allied to higher galacturonic acid content was pH 2.4, time 1 h and temperature 90 °C. For this condition, the extraction yield obtained was 3.97% m/m polysaccharide/botanical material. The emulsifying capacity and emulsion stability were also evaluated, and the emulsions with lower concentrations of polysaccharide provided the best results about emulsifying action. In the best of our efforts in research, the characterization of polysaccharide from fruit pods of Inga edulis is reported for the first time and this research contributes to the knowledge about botanical potential of this vegetal species and reinforces its potential as industrial crop.

Effects of shade tree legumes on cacao biomass and bean yields after 20 years of intercropping in Ivory Coast

Summary The choice of tree species planted with cacao trees is essential for ensuring the efficiency and sustainability of cacao farming systems. This raises the question of the long-term impact of associated tree legumes (ATLs) on cacao bean yields and biomass accumulation. This study was carried out in accordance with four-block randomised experimental design in Divo (Ivory Coast, West Africa). The study involved cacao-Albizia lebbeck (Cacao-Alb) and cacao-Acacia mangium (Cacao-Aca) intercrops and unshaded cacao plots (Control). After 20 years of intercropping, we assessed cacao dendrometry (height, circumference, biomass, and biomass C-stock) and production (number of pods per tree and bean yield at the plot level) as well as soil fertility (soil organic matter (SOM) concentration) at various distances from ATLs (D1:0–1.75 m; D2:3.25–5 m; D3:7–9 m). The distance from the ATLs had no significant effect on the measured cacao dendrometric parameters, except for cacao height. In contrast, the Cacao-Aca association had a negative impact on the SOM concentration (−22%), cacao tree height (−6.15%), and productivity parameters (biomass: −12.4%; bean yield: −43%). However, Cacao-Alb and the Control had no significant differences in terms of SOM, tree biomass, or bean production. Intercropping cacao with the tested tree legumes did not enhance cacao productivity and, in some cases, hindered it, depending on the ATL species. This study highlighted the importance of identifying appropriate shade tree legume species that could be promoted in cacao-based agroforestry systems.

The Effect of AMF-Cacao Association on Varying Physicochemical, Nutrient, and Biological Soil Parameters in an Agroforest System

The increasing interest in sustainable methods in agroforestry directs the attention of many to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for their role in maintaining or improving overall plant health and nutrition of many plants including cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) trees. The effects of different treatments of AMF and other soil amendments applied singly or in combination on physicochemical properties, nutrient levels, spore count, and rhizosphere microbial counts, were investigated and compared across different sampling periods of varying climatological conditions in an agroforest system. Results showed that there was a significant effect on the N content using the different treatments. The treatment using AMF from MR (MYKORICH) alone has the highest N level (%) (0.587 ± 0.024, p &lt; 0.001). Levels of P (ppm) and K (cmolc/kg) and soil physicochemical properties were not significantly affected by AMF applications. N levels were highest in January (1.772 ± 0.018, p = 0.004) which was the same month recorded with the lowest P content (0.0163 ± 2.228, p &lt; 0.0001). Soil physicochemical properties did not significantly vary between sampling periods except for organic matter (OM) which was highest in October (2.883 ± 0.151, p = &lt; 0.001), and with water-holding capacity (WHC) in March (80.429 ± 1.775, p &lt; 0.001). Mycorrhizal spore counts were significantly higher in treatments with AMF (p &gt; 0.0001) and between the sampling months (p &lt; 0.0001). Results showed that the effect of season on spore count was not the same for each of the treatments used and vice versa (p = 0.001). Microbial counts on nitrogen-fixing bacteria and phosphate-solubilizing bacteria showed no variability between treatments (p = 0.134). These findings guide cacao farmers in directing future interventions for improving soil conditions and yield in cacao agroforests.

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) climate zones and its associated agrobiodiversity in Arauca, Colombia

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L) is one of the most relevant crops in terms of economy and social rural development in Colombia. Cacao is also an important crop due to its potential to replace illicit crops and it is related to less deforestation and preserves the biodiversity. There are several cacao districts in Colombia, one of these being Arauca. The Department of Arauca is the second largest cocoa producing region in Colombia; however, it is heavily affected by armed conflict. To raise the knowledge and technology available in the region, integrating data on the occurrence of cacao farms with climatic variables becomes a powerful socioeconomic mapping tool for maintaining agrobiodiversity and food security in the region. Consequently, this type of agrodiversity data and agroclimatic approaches help to better manage agrobiodiversity, as in the cacao region of Arauca. These tools are even more relevant in biodiverse regions, such as flooded savannahs and tropical forest ecosystems, which are currently undergoing drastic changes due to agricultural expansion and climate change. One of the knowledge gaps in Colombia´s cacao regions is that there are currently no agroclimatic maps made with a social and scientific approach. This study aimed to provide a database of the spatial distribution of cacao farms in Arauca, as well as agroclimatic maps that identify and locate cacao climate regions in Arauca. We also present a presence-only matrix consisting of twenty-six tree species, or agrobiodiversity, distributed across the study region and specifically associated with the cacao forestry systems in Arauca. We present the first database of both climate and agrobiodiversity data related to cacao farms in Arauca, developed with a research and socioeconomic vision that generated a novel approach for the agroclimatic zoning of cocoa in the Arauca Region and Colombia. Using 1,538 cacao farms at the regional scale, we identified two national and six regional-scale climate and soil regions. The selection at the local scale allowed us to classify 180 cacao farms comprising nine agroclimatic clusters in Arauca. We found twenty-six tree species distributed across the cacao climate zones. This dataset and its related maps also represent the agrobiodiversity of cultivated cacao locally. This is the most complete climate and agrobiodiversity dataset of cacao farms distribution in one of the top cocoa-producing regions in the country. These outputs are crucial because they constitute a baseline for developing research in the biodiversity of agroforestry systems, pests and diseases, pollutant presence, genetics, post-harvest processing and cocoa quality and safety.

Determinants of Mulching Adoption among Cacao Farmers of Camiguin Province, Philippines

Mulching is considered as a sustainable farming practice that promotes environmental conservation and improves productivity. The study was carried out to evaluate the determinants of mulching adoption among cacao farmers in the province of Camiguin, Philippines. The study was administered to 87 out of 201 cacao farmers using stratified sampling technique in the entire province of Camiguin last March 2023. Data collected were subjected to probit regression analysis using free software RStudio and R 4.3.0, where the dependent variable was the adopters of mulching, and the independent variables were age, access to extension workers, experience in cacao farming in years, knowledge, and training of mulching. Results from the probit model revealed a positive and strong relationship between adoption and knowledge of mulching (p-value=0.01) and training of mulching (p-value=0.01). The current study provides empirical evidence that knowledge and training are two vital determinants of adoption on mulching among cacao farmers in Camiguin. Educating farmers about mulching improves their knowledge and skills and increases productivity on their farms to attain sustainable agricultural production. Further studies may be conducted to assess the economic impact of adoption on farmers’ income and well-being.

Cadmium contamination in cacao farms of Piura, North Peru: A comprehensive assessment of geogenic and anthropogenic sources and implications for future production

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that poses a threat to food safety via the ingestion of food products with Cd. The uptake of Cd by the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) has gained attention after the European Union set limits for Cd in chocolate products, the main commodity produced from cacao beans. In this study, we analyzed levels of Cd in soils and plant tissues across five cacao farms in the Piura region of Peru to identify the origins of Cd accumulation, and the natural and human factors controlling its concentration. Our results show that Cd levels varied in the order: leaves (1.25 mg kg−1) > beans (0.78 mg kg−1) > soils at 5 cm (0.68 mg kg−1) > soils at 20 cm (0.6 mg kg−1). Our findings suggest that the higher concentration of Cd in plant tissues and surface soils can be explained by readily available Cd from fertilizers and a litter layer being absorbed, cycled, and accumulated by the plant. Moreover, even when fertilizers are within regulatory limits, their continuous application, combined with the biocycling of Cd, may lead to high Cd concentrations in beans and leaves. Conversely, farms on alluvial soils and more stable topographic positions display higher soil and plant Cd concentrations. Likewise, farms located at lower altitudes, with higher contributing areas are more likely to receive Cd transported through sediments and water in the river network. Our results also suggest that variations in the underlying geology and soil mineralogy may be a source of potentially Cd bearing sediments. Overall, this study indicates that the high levels of Cd in plants in the study area are the result of a combined mechanism involving plant bioaccumulation and high Cd in fertilizers for the most part, with a minor contribution from potential Cd bearing minerals in sediments of alluvial soils.