Cocoa Research Paper #1

Cocoa Research

Publication #1: Testing Fertilizer on Farm Plots July 2015

The Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative works to return soil fertility to key cocoa growing regions in Côte d’Ivoire. The Initiative aims to identify and deliver fertilizer to ‘fertilizer-ready’ cocoa farmers through leveraging existing value chains and ensuring proper training and guidance at farm level. These activities are strongly supported by the joint knowledge agenda. As part of its knowledge agenda, the Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative provides data and insights on yield response, the farmer business case and farmers’ readiness for fertilizer uptake. This publication presents the first outcomes of this knowledge agenda, focusing on the on-farm fertilizer testing done by the agronomic research institute CIRAD in cooperation with the Ivorian NGO Agricole Local Partner (ALP).

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Introduction CIRAD and ALP have been engaged to gain insights on the impact of fertilizer application at farmer level. This monitoring and fertilizer testing takes place over the period 2013 - 2016 and has three objectives: 1) Measuring the yield response to fertilizer use.

2) Determining the farmer business case of using fertilizer.

3) Defining fertilizer readiness of cocoa farmers.

The research is done on real farmers plots (as opposed to demo plots) in order to generate insights and data that directly represent farmer reality.

Figure 1: Map of Cote d’Ivoire showing the location of the 14 selected cocoa producing zones

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Status of the research project This publication summarizes the 2014 year report of this research work, in which an overview is given of the work done so far1. For the test plots, 140 farms were selected in 14 cocoa producing zones with 10 plots per zone, measuring yields on both fertilized and non-fertilized quadrates. The selection of these plots followed two criteria: (1) a reasonable representative geographic distribution of cocoa and (2) the need to include all partners of the Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative in the sample. The application of the 0-15-15 rock phosphate fertilizer started in October 2013. From October 2014 onwards, two fertilizer formulas were added, namely 0-23-19 and 0-23-19 + calcium nitrate bore. Data is collected on a monthly basis by the research team. The resulting database contains information on fertilizer use, yield response, labor, inputs and a range of other explaining factors: social/geographic group, soil type, annual rainfall, planting material and shade, tree degradation, age of the cocoa farm and degree of maintenance.

Ruf F, Tanoh Ekou R, Galo Kla A, 2014. Cocoa and Fertilizer in Côte d’Ivoire. One year of 140 farm plot tests. Report to the Cocoa Fertilizer initiative. CIRAD/UMR Innovation and ALP, Montpellier, 39 p.

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Cocoa Research Publication #1: Testing Fertilizer on Farm Plots

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Yield Response In line with the hypotheses of this study, there was no significant yield response during the first 6 months after application of the fertilizer (October 2013 to March 2014). However, during the 6 following months (April – August 2014) fertilizer application resulted in significant improvements in farm production, both in terms of yields ( 25 % gain in pods) and quality (a 27 % gain in healthy pods). Whereas test plots with fertilizer had a productivity of 346 kg/ha in the half year period between April and August 2014, the test plots without any fertilizer application had average productivity levels of 277 kg/ha only. This is also clearly visible in figure 1 on the next page, showing the impact of fertilizer on the number of cocoa pods.

Moreover, the first results indicate that also shade and specific planting material (most likely the amelonado tree type) show a positive and significant correlation with the yield response. More research is needed to determine the impact soil type, rainfall, farm maintenance and tree age have on yield response.

Figure 2: Impact of fertilizer on the total number of pods from April to August 2014

A good illustration of the difference in harvested pods with and without fertilizer is given in figure 2 below, comparing a test plot with fertilizer with a control quadrate without fertilizer application.

Figure 3: Comparison of fertilizer testing plots on 7-year old plantation, close to San Pedro

Photo 1: Control quadrate, without fertilizer

Photo 2: Cocoa with fertilizer (0-23-19) plus calcium nitrate + bore 3

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Farmer Business Case In line with the hypothesis of this research, the measured yield increases did not result in a positive return on investment for the first year of fertilizer application. Using the evidence-based assumption of a yield increase of 70/kg/ha, the 1st year loss would be 52,500 CFA. Even when assuming a slightly lower fertilizer price, the 1st year loss would be significant. An increase in the yield response to 131.8 kg/ha would be needed to lead to a break-even scenario for the first year of application.

Figure 4: Estimate of the current economic returns of the 0-15-15 rock phosphate over one year Current Situation

Lower fertilizer price

Break-even scenario

70

70

131,8

850

850

850

59500

59500

112000

8

8

8

Cost of one fertilizer bag (CFA)

14000

12000

14000

Additional cost per ha (CFA, excl. labor)

112000

96000

112000

1st year loss/profit

-52500

-36500

0

Gain in kg/ha Cocoa price/kg (CFA, 2014/2015 season) Additional Gross revenue/ha No. of bags per ha*

* based on 50 kg fertilizer bags, a tree density of 100 trees/ha and a fertilizer need of 0,4 kg /tree.

Figure 5: CIRAD Team

Cocoa Research Publication #1: Testing Fertilizer on Farm Plots

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Fertilizer-Ready Farm(er) Although there is not enough sufficient data yet to draw any meaningful conclusions on the fertilizer readiness of farmers, the data does allow us to say something about the willingness of farmers to use fertilizer. The data show that there are three factors determining the willingness of a farmer to buy fertilizer. The most important factor is the geographical situation: farmers are much more likely to buy fertilizer when they are in the SouthWest, because of an increased risk of soil-related tree mortality. Two other important factors are the distance of cooperatives to the fertilizer market and the degree to which smallholders make use of alternative sources of fertilization (e.g. chicken manure). Finally, the degree to which farms are affected by pests and diseases (e.g. swollen shoot) is an important constraining factor for farmers to invest in fertilizers. Despite the many constraints to the willingness of farmers to buy fertilizer, the research shows that fertilizer use has been on the rise. As visible in figure 4, fertilizer purchases have been much higher in West than in East Côte d’Ivoire.

However, it must be reminded that this sample of farmers has been selected among cooperatives working closely together with exporters , which may exaggerate the trend compared to the whole cocoa farmers’ population in Côte d’Ivoire.

Figure 6: Average number of bags bought by smallholders in West and East Côte d’Ivoire

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Next Steps In 2015, more data will be available to address the key research questions. First of all, different types of chemical fertilizers are now tested on the test plots to compare their yield response with that of the 0-15-15 rock phosphate fertilizer. Moreover, the role of organic fertilizer will be studied to complement the analysis.

Finally, more detailed analysis will be devoted to the return on investment at farmer level and developing the development of a typology of a ‘fertilizer-ready’ farmer.

Partners: The Cocoa Fertilizer Initiative is funded by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), Le Conseil du Café-Cacao, and fertilizer suppliers and is implemented in partnership with IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative.

Cocoa Research Publication #1: Testing Fertilizer on Farm Plots

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