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https://theconversation.com/the-real-cost-of-your-chocolate-habit-new-research-reveals-the-bittersweet-truth-of-cocoa-farming-in-africas-forests-206082>
"Chocolate sales have boomed in recent months. As the cost-of-living crisis
bites, consumers are increasingly reaching for chocolate as a simple and
affordable pleasure.
The most important ingredient in chocolate is cocoa beans, which come from
plants grown in the tropics. About 70% of the world’s cocoa comes from West
Africa. The countries of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana are two of the
biggest producers.
Meeting the world’s insatiable appetite for chocolate has wrought a huge
environmental cost, as the incredibly rich and diverse rainforests of West
Africa are razed to make way for cocoa farms.
Research by my colleagues and me, released today, sheds new light on the
problem. By generating a new high-resolution map of cocoa growing areas in
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, we found the area under cocoa production is truly
enormous – and may be associated with up to 37% of forest loss in protected
areas."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
