Pest and Disease Risk Management in Cocoa

Featured Article:

Professor David Guest from the University of Sydney, Australia shares his insight on the global supply and demand issues for cocoa that are emerging. In his article, he highlights his experience working with farmers in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on work funded by ACIAR focused on working with farmers and local research and extension agencies to identify constraints to production and devise a series of management options for farmers. The work continues by then working with farmers and extension workers to promote the adoption of these solidly researched options. As a part of this risk management program, , engagment of private sector champions in promoting improved management is seen as essential to the sustainability of farmer training. Results from collaborative research activities build local capacity and feeds directly into refining management options for farmers. Read this Article

Projects:

  • ACIAR: Selection for improved quality and resistance to Phytophthora pod rot, cocoa pod borer and vascular-streak dieback in cocoa in Indonesia
  • ACIAR: Improving cocoa production through farmer involvement in demonstration trials of potentially superior and pest/disease resistant genotypes and integrated management practices
  • ACIAR: The potential for increasing the value of cocoa industries in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa
  • ACIAR: Enhancing PNG smallholder cocoa production through greater adoption of disease control practices
  • CABI: Preparing Papua New Guinea's Farmers to Fight Cocoa Pod Borer
  • The Cocoa Livelihoods Improvement Project (CLIP)
  • World Cocoa Foundation: Fungal Endophytes Associated with Cacao

Video

ACIAR Projects (November 2011) | Smallholder cocoa growers in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have the opportunity to boost their incomes by growing new pest-resistant, high-yielding cocoa varieties developed though an Australian and Indonesian research partnership. Growers' livelihoods are threatened because cocoa production is being cut by up to 50 per cent due to increasing pressure from pests and disease, ageing trees and falling soil fertility. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has brought together Australian and Indonesian research and extension agencies, and an international company, in a strong partnership with smallholder cocoa growers to encourage replanting with the improved varieties and better crop management. 

Watch the Video

Documents & Resources:

  • DropData: Cocoa Pest & Disease Management: Best Known Practices
  • World Cocoa Foundation Resource Library:
    • ​Diseases and Pests: Biological Control
    • Diseases and Pests: Resistance Breeding
    • Diseases and Pests: Biology
    • Diseases and Pests: Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
    • Diseases and Pests: Quarantine
    • Diseases and Pests: Cocoa Pod Borer

Search the FARMD Library for further documents and resources related to Cocoa Pest and Disease Risk Management