The Mills Fabrica’s Post

Why is PACE focusing on #cocoa? The Environmental Risks and Impact: Climate Change and Deforestation The cocoa industry's significant impact on our planet is clear. #Deforestation, driven by cocoa production, has occurred in nearly every cacao-producing country, where lush rainforests have been converted to monoculture plantations. In Côte d'Ivoire, approximately 40% of cocoa is sourced from protected areas. This environmental concern is closely associated with the slash-and-burn technique commonly employed in monoculture farming. The global demand for #chocolate, along with declining cocoa prices, has led farmers to rely on land clearance for cacao cultivation instead of embracing sustainable agroforestry systems. These systems, which involve planting cacao beneath shade trees, not only enhance carbon capture but also support biodiversity conservation. A large part of the solution lies in transitioning to #circular agricultural systems. These systems offer a path away from harmful practices and toward a #regenerative model. By repurposing #organic waste and reducing the strain on natural ecosystems, we can ensure the #sustainability of cocoa production while safeguarding our planet. PACE is working with Resonance to identify intervention points along the cocoa value chain where the most impact can be made via circularity. #SustainableCocoa #CircularAgriculture #BiodiversityConservation #Circularity #CircularCocoa #SustainableChocolate

Great to see progress and collaboration through the Cocoa and Forests Initiative to eliminate deforestation and restore degraded forests. Cocoa is a truly collaborative crop, it grows best under the shade of other trees and thrives in bioculture environments, not as a monoculture. So much can be learned about regenerative agriculture from the humble cocoa plant. #cop28 #regenerativeagriculture #deforestation

Regenerative farming is good for the health of both humans and the planet – and the goodness doesn't need to stop there. Lebanese farm Turba is using organic farming to unite refugees with host communities, help alleviate national food instabilities, and regenerate land in the sixth most polluted country in the world. Read more about the inspiring work of Turba in the article I wrote for Earth Island Journal! 🌎🫶🌳🇱🇧🌱 https://lnkd.in/eUk9dqGZ

Stopping deforestation is one of the most effective and immediate steps we can take to slow #globalwarming. These faculty and student researchers have a new model that could get farmers on board. Professor Erica Plambeck, Associate Professor Dan Iancu, and Xavier Warnes, PhD ’21, have used game theory to model a new way of incentivizing more sustainable oil palm farming. Their innovation is to enlist entire villages, making communities collectively responsible for preventing deforestation. The traditional approach offers price premiums to individual farmers who prevent deforestation. The researchers wondered what would happen if palm oil buyers could contract with an entire village and let the community do the enforcement. If anyone in the area violated the terms of the agreement, no one would get the premium. Running their model, the researchers found that the area-based approach consistently outperformed alternatives. “You don’t need a premium that makes every farmer better off,” Iancu says. “You only need to make the community better off in the aggregate.” As Plambeck says, “We used data from Indonesia, but the results are very general. The approach could halt deforestation elsewhere, or prevent other illegal activity, like tapping wires to steal electricity.” #climatechange https://lnkd.in/eiiHzb2g

Coffee and cacao are highly demanded cash crops but face significant climate risks due to their sensitivity to temperature, water, and soil conditions. Traditional agroforestry methods, where crops grow under the natural canopy of tall trees, offer more stability and environmental benefits compared to full sun cultivation. However, some farmers are pressured to switch to full sun methods for short-term yield gains, leading to deforestation and long-term soil degradation. To ensure sustainable and resilient production, food & beverage companies need to prioritize regenerative transformation processes and support smallholder farmers through reliable field data and monitoring tools. This approach will secure stable sourcing and strengthen local communities for the future. https://bit.ly/44F0jWa #regenerativeagriculture #cacao #sustainability

Celebrating hemp's ability to enhance soil health, support biodiversity, suppress weeds, and increase yields among subsequent crops – all while relying on little or no inputs. #hemp #textiles #sustainable #esg #climatechange https://lnkd.in/dKRnu9Bm

"...industrialized, intensive systems pay better—what’s needed are redirected subsidies to ensure farming and nature can coexist in a field and homogenized annual sustainability audits that reward farmers for generating “public goods” like improvements in food quality, biodiversity, and carbon stores." - Patrick Holden (Sustainable Food Trust) in an article by Jessica Rawnsley in WIRED 🧑🏼🌾 #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #sustainablefarming #climatechange #biodiversity #carbonstores

Did you miss the Global Landscape Forum due to all the events that took place this fall? It is still possible to watch our event on "Linking agroecology and ecosystem-based adaptation for climate-resilient landscapes". With just a few weeks left to COP 28: Let's not miss the opportunity to support each other's communities and work jointly towards our common goal of sustainable and equitable agri-food systems. #agroecology #eba #foodsystemstransformation #GLFNairobi

Stopping deforestation is one of the most effective and immediate steps we can take to slow #globalwarming. These faculty and student researchers have a new model that could get farmers on board. Professor Erica Plambeck, Associate Professor Dan Iancu, and Xavier Warnes, PhD ’21, have used game theory to model a new way of incentivizing more sustainable oil palm farming. Their innovation is to enlist entire villages, making communities collectively responsible for preventing deforestation. The traditional approach offers price premiums to individual farmers who prevent deforestation. The researchers wondered what would happen if palm oil buyers could contract with an entire village and let the community do the enforcement. If anyone in the area violated the terms of the agreement, no one would get the premium. Running their model, the researchers found that the area-based approach consistently outperformed alternatives. “You don’t need a premium that makes every farmer better off,” Iancu says. “You only need to make the community better off in the aggregate.” As Plambeck says, “We used data from Indonesia, but the results are very general. The approach could halt deforestation elsewhere, or prevent other illegal activity, like tapping wires to steal electricity.” #climatechange https://lnkd.in/dF3eUfVt

A proven strategy to sustainable food systems is agroecology! Support in your own way to restore food systems, improve nutrition and human health.