Press release: How can cocoa farmers adapt to climate change?

No. 189 - 28.11.2025

Research team studies benefits of shade trees in cocoa plantations in different climate zones in Ghana

Climate change threatens agricultural production across sub-Saharan Africa, where most farmers rely on rainfall. A study by researchers at the University of Göttingen and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre shows that Ghanaian cocoa farmers who cultivate cocoa under shade trees – a practice known as agroforestry – are better able to withstand periods of reduced rainfall. However, the study also finds that these benefits are confined to Ghana’s wetter regions, which have a climate that better suits growing cocoa. In drier regions, where water is already scarce, the researchers find no significant advantages of agroforestry in maintaining yields during times of less rainfall. The results were published in the journal Agricultural Systems.

The research combined survey data from 365 cocoa-producing households with rainfall measured via satellites covering 44 villages across five major cocoa-growing regions in Ghana. Using data collected in 2019 and 2022, the study compared how reductions in rainfall affected yields among farmers practising agroforestry and those who did not. The results reveal that while declining rainfall reduces cocoa yields overall, farmers who practise agroforestry suffer smaller losses. However, when the analysis distinguishes between different climate zones, the benefits in terms of yield are evident only in Ghana’s wetter regions.

“Our findings suggest that the positive effects of agroforestry depend on local climate conditions,” explains first author Marlene Wätzold at Göttingen University. “In the drier regions, shade trees may compete with cocoa for limited soil moisture, which can offset the benefits in buffering against drought. In addition, some fruit trees more commonly planted in the drier regions, such as avocado, have shallow roots and high water requirements, which can intensify water competition with cocoa trees.”

The researchers emphasize that while agroforestry can play an important role in helping farmers adapt to climate change, its promotion should be tailored to local climate conditions. “Our results highlight the need for more research on agroforestry adaptation strategies. This includes understanding which shade tree species are suitable under which local climate conditions,” says Professor Meike Wollni at Göttingen University. “In some areas, growing conditions may become increasingly unviable for cocoa production. There, a shift from cocoa production to more drought-tolerant crops such as cashew nuts should be considered in the future,” concludes Dr Katharina Krumbiegel at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.

The research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the Research Training Group “Sustainable Food Systems”.

Original publication: Marlene Yu Lilin Wätzold; Katharina Krumbiegel, Pascal Tillie; Meike Wollni. “Agroforestry as a climate change adaptation strategy: Evidence from Ghana's cocoa sector”, Agricultural Systems (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104519

Contact:

Marlene Yu Lilin Wätzold

University of Göttingen

Research Training Group 2654 “Sustainable Food Systems”

Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5

37073 Göttingen

Telefon: +49 (0)551 39-20210

Email: marlene.waetzold@uni-goettingen.de