Mapping Opportunities for Cocoa Agroforestry in Côte d’Ivoire

Agroforestry is seen as a solution for the long-term sustainability of the cocoa sector and national efforts to restore forest cover in Côte d’Ivoire in highly degraded classified forests and in the rural domain. By increasing tree cover it supports net zero deforestation, carbon sequestration, resilience to climate change and improved farmer livelihoods.

Within the rural domain, 1.8 million hectare of full sun cocoa could potentially be transformed into partial shade (around 30% canopy cover) agroforestry systems, which exceeds the 1 million hectare target set in the National REDD+ Strategy. This study did not find enough highly degraded classified forest land under cocoa to meet the 1 million hectares cocoa agroforestry policy target inclassified forests, though other degraded lands in these forests would be suitable for cocoa (or other agroforestry crops) to help meet this target.

The study finds that largest potential gains in ecosystem services, such as carbon storage can be achieved from implementing (partial shade) agroforestry in the rural domain, where the largest area of full sun/low shade is available. Potential carbon stock gains across all targeted areas were estimated at 120Mt carbon or 440 MtCO2e, which could generate significant income through the sale of carbon credits.