March 2013: A global strategy document on the conservation of genetic diversity and the sustainable use of cacao has been coordinated by CacaoNet and released by Bioversity International.

The publication, titled “A Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Cacao Genetic Resources, as the Foundation for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy,” presents a strategy that aims to: ensure that the cacao genepool is conserved in situ and ex situ by a global network of partners; strengthen the global system for exchange of cacao germplasm; optimize the use of cacao genetic diversity; and assure the effective use of these resources. It stresses the need to secure an endowment fund for the conservation of ex situ collections and embark on capturing a wider range of genetic diversity in genebanks through a Global Strategic Cacao Collection.

The strategy describes the factors leading to the loss of cacao genetic diversity, including the spread of pests and disease, climate change, natural disasters and extreme weather and destruction of the Amazonian rainforests. It argues that international collaboration is required to reduce these threats and take advantage of the wide variation in cocoa quality and disease resistance, underscoring that relatively little investment has been put into research to improve production.

The strategy notes that cacao diversity is primarily housed in situ, in farmers’ fields, or in genebanks. The strategy notes that 95 per cent of global cocoa production comes from small cocoa growers that barely meet their subsistence needs from their crops. It argues that cocoa farm productivity must be tripled to deliver a living wage to these small-scale farmers.

Bioversity International is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [Publication: A Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Cacao Genetic Resources, as the Foundation for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy]