With Valentine's Day approaching, chocolate is on the mind of many of us, but the sweet treat may be harder to find in the future.
New research by University of Victoria geographer Sophia Carodenuto questions the sustainability of cocoa production. Her paper, published today, provides specific recommendations for the future of cocoa farming in some of the world's key cocoa-producing countries amidst the pressures of climate change, soil erosion and excessive forest loss.
Since 2012, Carodenuto has been working with government agencies and cocoa farmers to identify options for improving the sustainability of cocoa in three West African countries, where roughly three-quarters of the world's cocoa is produced by an estimated two million cocoa farmers.
She says Raising consumer awareness of chocolate's origins, the deforestation it may be causing, and the poverty-stricken cocoa farmers is a priority.
“Governance of Zero Deforestation Cocoa in West Africa: New forms of public-private interaction” was published in Environmental Policy and Governance.