Future-proof Cocoa Agroforestry in Sierra Leone: Scaling Up Climate-Smart Cocoa Farming

ECOTOP is contributing to the Regenerative Organic Cocoa Agroforestry Project in Sierra Leone, an initiative designed to restore degraded land, increase cocoa yields, and improve smallholder farmer incomes through Dynamic Agroforestry (DAF) systems. The project, funded under EU initiative, is a partnership between Tradin Organic, ECOTOP, and local farmer cooperatives. By implementing DAF across 1,100 hectares in its initial phase, with potential expansion to 20,000 hectares, the initiative aims to reduce deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and create a more sustainable cocoa value chain​.

ECOTOP and Tradin Organic promote climate-smart cocoa farming in Sierra Leone

ECOTOP and Tradin Organic maintain a close cooperation towards the goals of the project. The following KPIs have been monitored:

Establishing and Scaling-up Dynamic Agroforestry Systems

• 1,100 hectares of cocoa farms converted to agroforestry-based production.
• Training over 4,000 cocoa farmers through Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
• Integration of shade trees, nitrogen-fixing plants, and biomass species to enhance soil fertility.

Setting a New Standard: A Scalable Model for Climate-Smart Cocoa Farming

ECOTOP and Tradin Organic are reshaping cocoa farming in Sierra Leone by integrating Dynamic Agroforestry principles into commercial and smallholder production. This initiative sets a new standard for sustainable cocoa farming, creating a resilient, high-quality, and climate-smart supply chain for the future.

The activities align with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDFs):