The comparative study of cocoa-based agroforests, fallow lands, and forests in the Akoupé department reveals promising results in combating climate change. Cocoa-based agroforests (SAFs) stand out with a higher average nitrogen content (0.22) compared to fallow lands (0.14) and forests (0.08), promoting carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Correlation analysis shows a moderate positive relationship between nitrogen and potassium, enhancing nutrient utilization and strengthening crop resilience against climate variations. While SAFs sometimes exceed sustainable agriculture thresholds for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and to a lesser extent, fallow lands for nitrogen, sustainable management practices (crop rotation, organic fertilization) can mitigate these exceedances. Overall, SAFs prove to be powerful allies against climate change. Their carbon sequestration capacity, resilience, and agricultural potential make them essential systems for sustainable agriculture. These findings can guide farmers and policymakers towards environmentally friendly practices and contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
The study was realized to evaluate the soil fertility potential in cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire. A total of 140 farmers’ plots from 14 producing regions were randomly selected for soil sampling in the 0-20 cm horizon. Soil samples for chemical analyses were performed on the following parameters: pH-water, total organic C, total N, available P and exchangeable cations. Both organic C and total N were low. Although, available P was rated high Low. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) was an indication that the soils have low potential for plant nutrients retention. A guided fertilizer usage should be recommended to cocoa farmers to boost the productivity of the cash crop.