Jamaica: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Cocoa and Tomato

This policy brief details research by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) on how climate change will affect cocoa and tomato production in Jamaica, while identifying potential diversification crops and shifting suitability zones.

• Tomato productivity in Jamaica is projected to face significant losses by 2050, driven by a decrease of over 20% in suitable growing areas. Additional risks include sea-level rise causing land loss, increased climate variability, and a higher frequency of extreme events like hurricanes.
• Cocoa demonstrates high resistance to temperature increases and is expected to see only small reductions in suitability, although it remains highly sensitive to drought, which will cause more severe impacts in the drier regions of the islands.
• Cassava, sweet potato, and yam are identified as viable diversification alternatives because their climate suitability in Jamaica is expected to persist or increase. By 2050, suitability for all monitored crops is expected to increase specifically in median altitudinal gradients near high mountains, likely increasing land-use pressure in areas currently used for other crops or forest conservation.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2017). Jamaica: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Cocoa and Tomato. https://cdkn.org/resource/policy-brief-jamaica-assessing-impact-climate-change-cocoa-tomato

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. Jamaica: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Cocoa and Tomato. 2017. https://cdkn.org/resource/policy-brief-jamaica-assessing-impact-climate-change-cocoa-tomato.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=Jamaica: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Cocoa and Tomato |date=27 January 2017 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/policy-brief-jamaica-assessing-impact-climate-change-cocoa-tomato |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2017jamaica, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{Jamaica: Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Cocoa and Tomato}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2017}, month = jan, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/policy-brief-jamaica-assessing-impact-climate-change-cocoa-tomato}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }