Cocoa yields in Côte d’Ivoire are low and falling each year, in part as a result of full-sun cropping systems. Thus, interest is now high in establishing sustainable cocoa agroforests through the re-introduction of shade trees. This article uses data collected from a sample of 400 cocoa farmers in the Soubré region of Côte d’Ivoire to rank the top alternative tree species of interest to farmers and to analyze the determinants of their presence and density in cocoa farms. Results show that the most significant determinants are: social network effects, ethnic group, and geographic zone. Also, poorer farmers and those in more isolated villages were more likely to associate their cocoa with crops popular for household consumption like oil palm. We thus suggest that future agroforestry programs should tailor the tree species promoted based on location, ethnic group, market access, and income level, and that extension programs should be designed to take advantage of networking effects.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9750-1Altmetric score:
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Publication year
2015
Authors
Gyau, A.; Smoot, K.; Diby, L.; Kouame, C.
Language
English
Keywords
agroforestry systems, sustainable agriculture, agricultural production, livelihoods, farming systems
Geographic
Côte d'Ivoire
