Y'all should know by NOW where MY priorities lie!
Posted on 10/02/2011 9:23:02 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Is the world's cocoa supply in danger? That's what a new study from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) suggests, singling out a familiar culprit: Global warming. The findings [see PDF] reveal that annual temperature increases will hamper the crop-production efforts in West Africa, which currently supplies half of the world's chocolate — at least if preventive measures aren't taken. Here's what you should know:
How hot are we talking?
The study, which consulted 19 climate-change models, indicates that a mere two degrees Celcius increase by 2050 will render areas like Ghana and the Ivory Coast too hot to grow cocoa, says The Washington Post. As cocoa trees struggle to obtain enough water, the developmental stages of cocoa pods that house "the prized cocoa bean" — source of the chocolate we know and love — would be disturbed. The effects of a shortage — including a leap in the price of chocolate — could be felt as soon as 2030.
Well, why not just move the cocoa trees elsewhere?
Rachel Cernansky of TreeHugger points out that "the ideal conditions for cocoa-growing will shift to higher altitudes — but most of West Africa is relatively flat, so there is not a lot of land at higher elevation to move to." Plus, clearing forests to pave way for farmland may actually end up "exacerbating climate change even further."
How would a shortage affect the region?
The cocoa trees play an "absolutely critical role" in the region's rural life, says CIAT's Dr. Peter Läderach, who authored the study. Hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers use "their cocoa trees like ATM machines," he says. "They pick some pods and sell them to quickly raise cash for school fees or medical expenses."
What kind of preventive measures can be taken?
Farmers could diversify their crops to "spread the risk" and avoid being overly dependent on cocoa, notes TreeHugger's Cernansky. Other solutions include using shady trees to cool growing areas and developing irrigation systems that aren't exclusively weather-dependent.
Air will be a costly luxury if the international progressive left gets their way...
Y'all should know by NOW where MY priorities lie!
WHO SAYS temperature will increase by 2 degrees Celsius by 2050? Pure speculation.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!
...if America would just stop using fossil fuels....
I sure do miss woolly mammoth burgers. Damn “climate change”.
We needn’t worry about the chocolate supply.
After all, we have a whole chocolate city...
That’s correct! Leftists LOOOOVVVVVVEEEE shortages and forcing everyone to stand in line all day.
I’ll gladly sacrifice the backyard and plant some cocoa trees.
SOOOoooo....according to this article’s “logic” YOU in Wisconsin may be able to GROW COCOA trees!
Why not just grow cocoa plants in the areas of the Americas where the conditions are right? It worked for Kiwi fruit and Pistacio nuts, and brought down the cost, too...
Even if the human caused global warming bulls*** had any credence-and it does not-weren’t the Native Americans in what is now southern Mexico and South America using cocoa/chocolate to drink in pre-Columbian times? So were they importing the beans by the boatload from Africa, or were they growing it themselves?
Toblerone will love being able to use locally grown alpine cocoa.
There’s artificial chocolate...
***Why not just grow cocoa plants in the areas of the Americas where the conditions are right?***
Chocolate was rationed during WWII - don’t remember why. But it seems of all the State Agricultural Departments we have - surely one State has the right topography and climate for this valuable crop.
I can’t wait to start a banana plantation here in Indiana!
Hershey stole the concept of aerated chocolate from Nestle’s Aero bars. My friends used to bring me Aero bars from England, but now my local grocery store occasionally carries them in their international foods section.
I read something in the past year that talked about the dying cacao industry in the Caribbean. It’s dying because farmers make more money with other crops. How are their temps?
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