upper canopy tree cover in cocoa agroforestry system
UPPER CANOPY CROWN COVER IN COCOA AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM 1.0 INTRODUCTION Climate Change is one aspect or explanation of how the livelihood of farmers can be threatened. (Kuckelberg, 2012)
In Ghana, the climate has changed over the last years of which crops are getting destroyed due to periods of extreme heat and heavy rains. As Mbow and colleagues outline in their paper, climate change mitigation in Africa to date has largely focused on reforestation and forest protection. This has often conflicted with the need to expand agricultural production to feed the continent’s growing population. But this need not be the case, says Mbow, as agroforestry may be able to deliver both on increasing tree cover to store carbon while also enhancing agricultural productivity. Cocoa cultivation maintains a higher proportions of upper canopy crown cover (cocoa agroforestry) which is increasingly being viewed as a sustainable land use practice that is environmentally preferable to other forms of agricultural activities in tropical forest regions because it contributes to biodiversity conservation and income diversification. Properly managed cocoa agroforestry systems play a crucial role in helping farmers adapt and build resilience to uncertain climates. (Langford, 2014). Upper canopy trees can provide a buffer against climatic extremes that impact crop growth. They can enhance understory growth and improve water use efficiency. These trees have also been shown to increase rainfall utilization compared to annual cropping systems. And are known to have a direct impact on local and regional rainfall patterns, so they also have considerable potential to alleviate drought in parts of Africa. (Mbow et.al, 2014).
The use of production landscapes in Ghana for cocoa production has intensified dramatically over the last three decades. (UNDP,
In Ghana, the climate has changed over the last years of which crops are getting destroyed due to periods of extreme heat and heavy rains. As Mbow and colleagues outline in their paper, climate change mitigation in Africa to date has largely focused on reforestation and forest protection. This has often conflicted with the need to expand agricultural production to feed the continent’s growing population. But this need not be the case, says Mbow, as agroforestry may be able to deliver both on increasing tree cover to store carbon while also enhancing agricultural productivity. Cocoa cultivation maintains a higher proportions of upper canopy crown cover (cocoa agroforestry) which is increasingly being viewed as a sustainable land use practice that is environmentally preferable to other forms of agricultural activities in tropical forest regions because it contributes to biodiversity conservation and income diversification. Properly managed cocoa agroforestry systems play a crucial role in helping farmers adapt and build resilience to uncertain climates. (Langford, 2014). Upper canopy trees can provide a buffer against climatic extremes that impact crop growth. They can enhance understory growth and improve water use efficiency. These trees have also been shown to increase rainfall utilization compared to annual cropping systems. And are known to have a direct impact on local and regional rainfall patterns, so they also have considerable potential to alleviate drought in parts of Africa. (Mbow et.al, 2014).
The use of production landscapes in Ghana for cocoa production has intensified dramatically over the last three decades. (UNDP,
References: Kuckelberg. M. U., (2012), Climate Change and Impact on the Livelihood of Farmers and Agricultural Workers in Ghana; Ghana Agricultural Workers Union. Langford, K. (2014), Can Agroforestry provide a win-win for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation in Africa, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Kenya, 6. Mbow, C. Smith, P. Skole, D. Duguma, L. Bustamante, M. (2014). Achieving mitigation and adaptation to climate change under sustainable agroforestry practices in Africa, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 6: 8- 14. Nkyi, A. K. (2010), Introduction to Tropical Guide to Forest Measurement (1st edn), Ghana, K.B.P.P. United Nations Developmental Programme (2014), Environmental Sustainability and Policy for Cocoa Production in Ghana, COCOBOD.