PEST MANAGEMENT

Various pests and diseases threaten cocoa plantations – they differ across countries and continents. Consequently, the measures and possibilities to control them differ, depending on the pest or disease.

Pest and disease management is always a combination of products applied, management practices and having tolerant or even resistant cocoa varieties available. For this profound knowledge is needed, as the risk of mismanagement and losing control over the disease outbreak increases when not handled well.

Cocoa Horizons recommends Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPM), where

    - potential damages can be mitigated

    - agrochemicals are only applied when needed, close monitoring of disease spread indicates when this is the case

    - profound knowledge on approach is required, if handled well, application quantities can be massively reduced

    - farmers’ engagement is key

Certain diseases require attention beyond IPM, such as the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV), where different and additional measures are needed. Measures include breeding

for resistant planting material and knowing how to manage infected plantations are essential to keep the disease from spreading further.

With pest and disease pressures rising—especially the urgent threat of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) in West Africa—we launched a 100-hectare CSSV pilot project in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024/25. This initiative provides a comprehensive framework to fight against CSSV in areas experiencing high disease pressure.

this could interest you