Climate change is heating up West Africa's cocoa belt

Climate change has significantly increased the number of days with temperatures above 32°C in West Africa's cocoa belt, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. This excessive heat, especially during the main crop cycle (October-March), can reduce cacao harvest quantity and quality by hindering photosynthesis and increasing water stress. In 2024, 71% of analyzed cacao-producing areas across Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria experienced at least six additional weeks of such heat. Beyond temperature, production is threatened by erratic rainfall, the cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV), smuggling, and illegal mining.

• Over the decade from 2015 to 2024, human-caused climate change increased the annual number of days exceeding the optimal cacao growth temperature of 32°C by two to four weeks across West African growing regions, with the most significant impact occurring during the main crop cycle (October-March).
• The impact of warming was most severe in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where climate change added nearly 40 days per year above 32°C on average between 2015 and 2024. Cameroon saw at least 18 additional days annually, and Nigeria saw approximately two weeks of additional heat.
• In 2024, 71% of analyzed cacao-producing regions in West Africa experienced at least six additional weeks of temperatures above 32°C due to climate change. Every analyzed region in the cocoa belt saw at least three additional weeks of such heat in 2024.
• Excessive heat above 32°C negatively impacts cacao by hindering photosynthesis and increasing water stress, which can lead to shriveled flowers and rotted pods. In 2024, farmers in Côte d'Ivoire observed that heat caused leaves to fall, exposing pods to further sunlight and stress.
• Cacao production is further compromised by erratic rainfall patterns, where excessive rain can cause pod rot and flooding, while drought reduces photosynthesis. In July 2024, parts of Côte d'Ivoire saw 40% more rainfall than expected, followed by almost no rain in December.
• Non-climatic factors are significantly reducing yields: the cacao swollen shoot virus (CSSV), transmitted by mealybugs, causes an estimated 17% annual loss in Ghana, with 600,000 hectares infested in 2023. Additionally, smuggling and illegal mining are diverting crops and degrading soil.

APA

Giguere, J., Young, M., Martin, M., DeFonza, R., & Dahl, K. (2025). Climate change is heating up West Africa's cocoa belt. Climate Central. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/2a2a4EEFY0cwPicb85yndh/b5271f6b4a01cf86c0d7585af8186211/Climate_change_is_heating_up_West_Africa-s_cocoa_belt__February_2025_.pdf

Chicago

Giguere, Joseph, Michelle Young, Megan Martin, Raina DeFonza, and Kristina Dahl. Climate change is heating up West Africa's cocoa belt. Climate Central, 2025. https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/2a2a4EEFY0cwPicb85yndh/b5271f6b4a01cf86c0d7585af8186211/Climate_change_is_heating_up_West_Africa-s_cocoa_belt__February_2025_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Giguere |first1=Joseph |last2=Young |first2=Michelle |last3=Martin |first3=Megan |last4=DeFonza |first4=Raina |last5=Dahl |first5=Kristina |title=Climate change is heating up West Africa's cocoa belt |publisher=Climate Central |date=12 February 2025 |url=https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/2a2a4EEFY0cwPicb85yndh/b5271f6b4a01cf86c0d7585af8186211/Climate_change_is_heating_up_West_Africa-s_cocoa_belt__February_2025_.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{giguere2025climate, author = {Giguere, Joseph and Young, Michelle and Martin, Megan and DeFonza, Raina and Dahl, Kristina}, title = {{Climate change is heating up West Africa's cocoa belt}}, institution = {Climate Central}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://assets.ctfassets.net/cxgxgstp8r5d/2a2a4EEFY0cwPicb85yndh/b5271f6b4a01cf86c0d7585af8186211/Climate_change_is_heating_up_West_Africa-s_cocoa_belt__February_2025_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }