Climate change is heating up West Africa’s cocoa belt
West Africa produces approximately 70% of the world’s cacao, with Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana leading production, followed by Cameroon and Nigeria. Cacao cultivation depends heavily on stable warm temperatures and well-distributed rainfall. However, climate change is increasingly disrupting these conditions. Rising temperatures above the optimal 32°C threshold and erratic rainfall are reducing cacao yields and quality across the region. A 10-year analysis by Climate Central shows a growing number of excessively hot days during key harvest seasons, attributed to human-induced climate change. Additionally, extreme weather events, soil degradation, illegal mining, smuggling, and cacao diseases such as swollen shoot virus further compound the challenges faced by West African farmers, contributing to lower harvests and rising global chocolate prices.
Area of focus: Cocoa
Author(s): Michelle Young
Organisation/institution: Climate Central