Sustainable Agriculture of Cocoa
No.1 Productivity You can get more cocoa by improving the productivity of your existing farms. Let us not burn down more forest to make more cocoa farms. Let us save the forest. When the last tree dies, the last man dies. Implement Good Agricultural Practices (pruning, weeding, fertilization, pest and disease control, timely harvesting etc.)
No.2 Integrated Pest Management Do not leave diseased pods in the field. They make the disease spread to other pods. Timely pruning improves the aeration, allows light into the farm and prevents diseases, such as blackpod. Collect the diseased pods, deposit them at one place, spray them with fungicide and bury them.
No.3 Weed control Herbicide kills good micro-organisms in the soil, so your soil will lose its fertility gradually. The soil exposed to the air dries out more easily. Vegetative ground cover on top of the soil helps to maintain soil fertility, soil moisture and organic matter content. It helps you reduce the use of herbicides.
No.4 Waste management Separate diseased pods and bury them later. Opened cocoa pods heaped at one place are a source of diseases. Learn how to make compost out of cocoa pods and other organic materials from the farm.
No.5 Water conservation When you have cocoa trees close to a river, stream or wells, chemical spray can drift into the water and contaminate it. Areas near the water should be protected. You should not spray the areas near the water. Those areas should be conserved with trees and vegetative cover.
No.6 Shade trees When there is no shade, young trees suffer from strong sunlight. They become dehydrated and the leaves turn yellowish. Such trees can live only up to 15 years. Good level of shade with native species will protect your farm from too much sunlight and adds more moisture and nutrients to the soil.
No.7 Wildlife protection Animals are part of the balance of lives on your farm. Hunting endangered species is prohibited. Hunting during the close season is illegal. Your farm should be a place where animals can also live happily and safely.
No.8 Children on the farm You should not damage your children s health with chemicals. They can help you carry water for spraying, before you start to spray. Children can get injured by using a harvesting knife or cutlass, or by climbing on tall trees. They can help you in harvesting, as long as they do not use sharp items.
No.9 Children on the farm You should not make them carry too heavy loads that can hurt their body. Children can carry small loads. You should not pull them out of school to make them work on the farm. Children should always go to school, but they can help on the farm at their free time.
No.10 Protective clothing Mask with a chemical filter You should not harm your health through spraying of chemicals. Toxic chemicals can enter into your body through your skin and through your breathing. Do not expose any part of your body during spraying. It is important to use a mask that can filter chemicals. A dust mask is not sufficient.
No.11 Chemical storage Chemicals should not be stored in the house. Children may drink them by mistake. Toxic fumes can contaminate those who live in the house. A good storage is away from houses, locked with key, made of fire-resistent material, retains spillage, and able to be cleaned if any chemical is spilled.
No.12 Prohibited chemicals The list includes chemicals such as: Paraquat Endosulfan Atrazine Be careful not to use those chemicals. Most toxic chemicals are listed in SAN Prohibited Pesticide List - September 2009. It is prohibited to use those pesticides.
No.13 Waste water management Sand Gravels Active carbon There should be a separate area for bathing after the application of chemicals. Washing the spraying equipment in the river contaminates the water. Waste water should be filtered by the layer of sand, gravels and if possible, active carbon.