Development of a Knowledge Exchange Network for Sustainable Cocoa Farming

可持续可可种植知识交流网络的发展

• 批准号: NE/Y004981/1
• 负责人: Andrew Daymond
• 金额: $ 13.3万
• 依托单位: University of Reading
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FY004981%2F1
• 关键词: Development; Knowledge; Exchange; Network; Sustainable

Cocoa is an important cash crop in the humid tropics supporting an estimated 5-6 million mainly smallholder farmers. The crop also supports the confectionary industry worldwide, specifically in the UK. Cocoa farmers face a number of challenges on their farms which also impact on their livelihoods. One such challenge is soil degradation, that is the loss of nutrients and soil organic matter through continuous farming of the same land. This can result in shifting cultivation, which is a driver of deforestation. Another challenge is that of climate change, which is resulting in more extreme and less predictable weather patterns. This Knowledge Exchange Fellowship builds on research conducted at the University of Reading on the environmental physiology of cocoa and on organic soil amendments with the aim of translating research findings into practical field solutions, thereby delivering more sustainable cocoa farming systems.The fellowship will communicate key research findings on how climate change is likely to impact on cocoa to a range of stakeholders involved in cocoa production and the cocoa industry. This will be achieved through interactive workshops and follow-on surveys which will also seek to explore how cocoa farming can be adapted to a changing climate. Outputs from the workshop will also steer future research priorities on environmental physiology of cocoa.Knowledge exchange on soil amendments (compost and biochar, which have benefits in terms of improving soil quality and nutrient availability) will build on previous and on-going research that is a partnership between the University of Reading, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). Here, two forms of evidence will be collated, data from field trials (yields and soil physical properties) and farmer testimonials, in the forms of videos, whereby farmers describe when and how they have used soils amendments and the benefits they have experienced (for example, higher yields and improved livelihoods). These data summaries and testimonials will be translated into other languages that are spoken across areas where cocoa is grown (French, Spanish, Portuguese and Bahasa Indonesian).A website will be developed which will act a central portal of information about methods of moving towards sustainable cocoa production. The website will be geared towards a range of players involved in cocoa farming and the cocoa industry, including extension workers, cocoa buying companies, industry and the general public. It will include important research findings on how cocoa responds to a changing climate and to specific environmental stresses (for example, high temperatures and drought). It will also include: outcomes of workshops, summaries of data showing the benefits of soil amendments (compost and biochar), farmer testimonial videos and practical guides for the preparation of soil amendment materials.Key components of the website will be translated into French, Spanish and Portuguese to expand its international reach. The website hub will also highlight and provide links to research in other organisations that promotes sustainable cocoa cultivation. Awareness of the website and of research addressing cocoa sustainability issues will be enhanced through appropriate social media platforms and also conferences geared both to the cocoa industry and to the cocoa research community.

可可在潮湿的热带地区是一项重要的经济作物，估计有5-600万个小农户。该农作物还支持全球，特别是在英国的糖果行业。可可农民在农场面临许多挑战，这也影响了他们的生计。一个挑战是土壤降解，即通过连续耕种同一土地的养分和土壤有机物的损失。这可能导致耕种变化，这是森林砍伐的驱动力。另一个挑战是气候变化，这导致了更极端和更较低的可预测天气模式。 This Knowledge Exchange Fellowship builds on research conducted at the University of Reading on the environmental physiology of cocoa and on organic soil amendments with the aim of translating research findings into practical field solutions, thereby delivering more sustainable cocoa farming systems.The fellowship will communicate key research findings on how climate change is likely to impact on cocoa to a range of stakeholders involved in cocoa production and the cocoa industry.这将通过互动研讨会和后续调查来实现，这也将寻求探讨如何将可可养殖适应不断变化的气候。研讨会的产出还将指导可可的环境生理学的未来研究重点。在土壤修正案上的知识交流（堆肥和生物炭，在改善土壤质量和养分可用性方面都有好处），这将建立在先前和正在进行的研究的基础上，这是读者之间的合作伙伴关系，Kwame Nkrumah of Science of Science and Instuct of Crig and crig and coco and cocoa and cocoa andocoA。在这里，将整理两种形式的证据，即现场试验（产量和土壤物理特性）的数据，以及以视频形式的农民证明，农民描述了他们何时以及如何使用土壤修订及其所经历的益处（例如，较高的收益率和改善的生计）。这些数据摘要和推荐书将转化为其他语言，这些语言在可可种植的领域（法国，西班牙语，葡萄牙语和巴哈萨印度尼西亚语）。将开发一个网站，该网站将成为有关迈向可持续可可生产的方法的中心信息。该网站将针对可可农业和可可行业的一系列参与者，包括扩展工人，可可购买公司，行业和公众。它将包括有关可可如何应对气候变化和特定环境压力的重要研究结果（例如，高温和干旱）。它还将包括：研讨会的结果，显示土壤修订的好处的数据摘要（堆肥和生物炭），农民的证明视频和用于准备土壤修订材料的实用指南。该网站的关键组成部分将转化为法国，西班牙和葡萄牙人，以扩展其国际覆盖范围。网站枢纽还将突出显示并提供与促进可持续可可耕种的其他组织的研究联系。通过适当的社交媒体平台以及针对可可行业和可可研究社区的会议，将提高对网站和解决可可可持续性问题的研究的认识和解决可可可持续性问题的研究。