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The cocoa yield gap in Ghana: A quantification and an analysis of factors that could narrow the gap

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Title The cocoa yield gap in Ghana: A quantification and an analysis of factors that could narrow the gap
 
Creator Asante, Paulina A.
Rahn, Eric
Zuidema, Pieter
Rozendaal, Danae M.A.
van der Baan, Maris E.G.
Läderach, Peter
Asare, Richard
Cryer, Nicholas
Anten, Niels P.R.
 
Subject crop yield
yield gap
agricultural practices
rendimiento de cultivos
diferencias de rendimiento
prácticas agrícolas
 
Description CONTEXT: Global cocoa production is largely concentrated in West Africa where over 70% of cocoa is produced. Here, cocoa farming is largely a rain-fed, low-input system with low average yields, which are expected to decline with climate change. With increasing demand, there is a need to evaluate opportunities to increase production whilst avoiding deforestation and expansion to croplands. Thus, it is important to know how much additional cocoa can be produced on existing farmland, and what factors determine this potential for increased
yield.
OBJECTIVE: The objective was to quantify the cocoa yield gap in Ghana and identify the factors that can contribute to narrowing the gap.
METHODS: We calculated the cocoa yield gap as the difference between potential yield (i. water-limited potential (Yw) quantified using a crop model, ii. attainable yield in high-input systems(YE), iii. attainable yield in lowinput systems(YF)) and actual farmer yield. Both absolute and relative yield gaps were calculated. We then related each yield gap (absolute & relative) as a function of environment and management variables using mixedeffects models.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: There were considerable yield gaps on all cocoa farms. Maximum water-limited yield gaps (YGW) were very large with a mean absolute gap of 4577 kg/ha representing 86% of Yw. Attainable yield gap in high-input (YGE) was lower with mean absolute gap of 1930 kg/ha representing 73% of YE. The yield gap in low-input (YGF) was even lower with mean absolute gap of 469 kg/ha representing 42% of YF. Mixedeffects models showed that, absolute YGW were larger at sites with higher precipitation in the minor wet and minimum temperature in the minor dry season explaining 22% of the variability in YGW. These same factors and cocoa planting density explained 28% of variability in absolute YGE. Regardless of climate, absolute YGF and relative YGW, YGE and YGF were reduced by increasing cocoa planting density and application of fungicide against black pod. The models explained 25% of the variability in absolute YGF, and 33%, 33% and 25% in relative YGW, YGE and YGF respectively.
In conclusion, climate determined absolute YGW in Ghana whilst absolute YGE were determined by both climate and management. In contrast, absolute YGF and relative YGW, YGE and YGF can be reduced by agronomic management practices.
SIGNIFICANCE: Our study is one of the first to quantify cocoa yield gaps in West Africa and shows that these can be closed by improved agronomic practices.
 
Date 2022-07-28
2022-08-03T08:33:05Z
2022-08-03T08:33:05Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Asante, P.A.; Rahn, E.; Zuidema, P.; Rozendaal, D.M.A.; van der Baan, M.E.G.; Läderach, P.; Asare, R.; Cryer, N.; Anten, N.P.R. (2022) The cocoa yield gap in Ghana: A quantification and an analysis of factors that could narrow the gap. Agricultural Systems 201:103473. 13 p. ISSN: 0308-521X
0308-521X
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/120413
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103473
 
Language en
 
Rights CC-BY-4.0
Open Access
 
Format 13 p.
application/pdf
 
Publisher Elsevier
 
Source Agricultural Systems