The study investigated whether cacao agroforestry systems lead to higher pest and disease incidence compared to monocultures. Contrary to traditional beliefs, the study found that when good cultural management practices—such as regular pruning, frequent harvesting, and prompt removal of diseased pods—are implemented, agroforestry systems do not have higher pest and disease rates than monocultures.
In experiments conducted in Bolivia over three years, only 14% of cacao pods were affected by pests and diseases across all systems, with no significant differences between agroforestry and monoculture systems. Moreover, increasing the frequency of harvest and diseased pod removal from every 25 days to every 15 days significantly reduced disease incidence and increased yields by up to 46% in smallholder farms.
These findings suggest that small-scale cacao farmers can adopt agroforestry practices without fearing increased pest problems, provided they maintain good management practices. This leads to sustainable production and potentially higher incomes, while also offering benefits like biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.