SUSTAIN-COCOA

In the proposed research, funded by Biodiversa we aim to investigate the conditions under which supply chain sustainability initiatives (SSIs) can lead to reduced deforestation and increased shade-​tree cover in cocoa production systems and, in turn, a triple-​win of increased biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and livelihood resilience. Our cross-​scale, interdisciplinary, and transnational approach will provide insights into the on-​the-ground impacts of existing SSIs in the cocoa sector and the potential impacts of scaling up SSIs to reduce deforestation and enhance shade-​tree cover. Furthermore, it will clarify the role that agroforestry can play in helping deliver multiple sustainability objectives: protecting biodiversity, climate mitigation, and improved farmer livelihoods. It thus aligns well with the EU’s efforts to step up action to protect and restore the world’s forests.

Our main outputs in this project so far are:

Scientific papers:

Renier, C., Vandromme, M., Meyfroidt, P., Ribeiro, V., Kalischek, N., & zu Ermgassen, E. K. (2023). Transparency, traceability and deforestation in the Ivorian cocoa supply chain. Environmental Research Letters, 18 024030 https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acad8e (see insight)

zu Ermgassen, E., Renier, C., Carvalho, T., Garcia, A. S., & Meyfroidt, P. (2024). Sustainable commodity sourcing requires measuring and governing land use change at multiple scales. Conservation Letters, 17(3), e13016, https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13016

Parra-Paitan, C. A., Meyfroidt, P., Verburg, P. H., zu Ermgassen E. K.H.J. (2024) Deforestation and climate risk hotspots in the global cocoa value chain. Environmental Science & Policy, 158, 103796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103796

Parra-Paitan, C., zu Ermgassen, E. K., Meyfroidt, P., & Verburg, P. H. (2023). Large gaps in voluntary sustainability commitments covering the global cocoa trade. Global Environmental Change, 81, 102696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2023.102696

Renier, C., Addoah, T., Guye, V., Garrett, R., Van den Broeck, G., zu Ermgassen, E. K. H. J., Meyfroidt, P. (n.d.) Direct and indirect cocoa deforestation in the tropical moist forests of Ghana. In review, preprint: https://doi.org/10.31220/agriRxiv.2025.00302

Guye V., Meyfroidt P., zu Ermgassen E. K. H. J. (n.d.) The need for improved public transparency in the era of due diligence regulations. Under review.

Datasets & Methods:

Guye, V. (2024) Ivorian Cocoa Cooperatives and their Buyers (IC2B) - database v1.0. https://doi.org/10.14428/DVN/YBWJOR

Guye, V., Gollnow, F., Biddle, H., Ribeiro, V., Meyfroidt, P., Renier, C., & zu Ermgassen, E. K. H. J. (2024) Côte d’Ivoire cocoa supply chain v.1.1 (2020-2022) (Version 1.1) (Data set). Trase. https://doi.org/10.48650/E5CN-FH18

Trase (2024) SEI-PCS Côte d’Ivoire cocoa v1.1 supply chain map: Data sources and methods. https://doi.org/10.48650/3KGC-VB46

Trase Ingishts:

Ermgassen, E. zu (2022) Action needed to address indirect sourcing ‘blindspot’. https://trase.earth/insights/action-to-reduce-deforestation-must-address-blindspot-of-indirect-sourcing

Ermgassen, E. zu (2021) Mapping cocoa exports from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. https://trase.earth/insights/mapping-cocoa-exports-cote-divoire-ghana

Ermgassen, E. zu (2021) Chocolate companies face deforestation risks from unknown cocoa supplies. https://trase.earth/insights/chocolate-companies-face-deforestation-risks-from-unknown-cocoa-supplies

Renier, C. (2022) Cocoa exports drive deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire. https://trase.earth/insights/cocoa-exports-drive-deforestation-in-cote-d-ivoire

Richens, J. A. E., Guye, V., & zu Ermgassen, E. (2023) Cocoa traders fall short on supplier disclosure in Ghana. https://doi.org/10.48650/HY9G-N485

Guye, V. (2024) Smallholder cocoa farmers need support as EUDR compliance nears. https://doi.org/10.48650/V73S-KV64

Guye, V. (2024) Côte d’Ivoire cocoa exports and deforestation. https://doi.org/10.48650/9HPW-8W11

Our main partners in this project are:

Prof. Goedele Van den Broeck at UCLouvain, working on socio-economic aspects of cocoa in West Africa including child labor, see:
Van den Broeck, G., & Akaribo, F. N. (2024). Is Cocoa Production a Main Driver of Children’s Work in Ghana?. The Journal of Development Studies, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2024.2401416
and the PhD thesis from Steffi Dekegel (2024) “Promoting biodiversity conservation and economic sustainability in the cocoa sector”
https://dial.uclouvain.be/pr/boreal/object/boreal:298348

Trase with whom we develop cocoa supply chain datasets and transparency.

Cambridge University with Prof. Rachael Garrett, who coordinates the SUSTAIN-COCOA project, and her team, working on zero deforestation policies in cocoa and other contexts.

ETH Zurich with Jan Dirk Wegner and Alexander Becker, whose team produced a cocoa map for Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana for 2019-2021 (see here) and who are currently working on shade and carbon maps for cocoa.

The University of Queensland with Dr. Wilma Hart working among others on shade tree mapping in cocoa plantations and tradeoffs and synergies between shade and yields.

CIAT with Dr. Christian Bunn working among others on impacts of climate change on cocoa.