The Cavally Forest Reserve is one of the last intact forest reserves in Ivory Coast, the world’s top producer of cocoa. Most of this cocoa is grown by small farmers, and Ivory Coast has lost a significant amount of forests trying to meet global chocolate demand. In 1960, there were about 12 million hectares of forests in the country. Today, close to 75 percent of that has been cleared, according to the World Bank.

Even though their country forms the backbone of the $100 billion global chocolate industry, farmers in Ivory Coast remain poorly paid for their cocoa. This makes it increasingly likely that they clear more land to keep up with ever-increasing demand for chocolate. In the Cavally Forest, neighbouring communities inadvertently plant cocoa under the forest canopy within the reserve. The challenge for the SODEFOR, the state forest management agency, was how to detect cocoa planted under the canopy in a timely manner.

While field visits show that former plantations are now being replaced by the forest, any long-lasting solution needs to include the local communities. This is why we are going to help the surrounding communities map their lands, and study alternative sources of income to reduce the pressure to clear forests and help those who have lost their crops.

Watch our video, The Cocoa Beneath, to find out more about how technology is playing a vital role in protecting the Cavally Forest.