Hershey, Lindt, Mars, Nestlé Join New Program to Help Cocoa Farmers Adapt to Climate Change
Cacao beans grow best in the places where chocolate would melt in your hands, but over the next several decades, many of those environments may grow warmer, drier, and less suitable for its cultivation. While cacao can be grown in warmer places than coffee, cacao thrives in humid environments. As temperatures rise, so will evaporation, and projections suggest that there will not be enough increased rainfall to offset the moisture loss.
Leading cocoa and chocolate companies recognize the threat that climate change poses to cocoa sustainability. Earlier this week, the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF)announced the launch of a new program designed to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sector to address the issue by developing solutions and helping farmers adapt. Climate modeling suggests that various regions may need to change crops and cropping strategies, or implement adaptive management practices, in order to maintain cocoa supply and viable livelihoods for the millions of smallholder farmers around the globe.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
