Brazilian cacao expansion avoids new deforestation in the Amazon

Embrapa, a state-run agricultural research agency in Brazil, mapped a 33 percent increase in cacao cultivation in Pará state between 2022 and 2024.

The mapping shows that the vast majority of this new production occurs on land that was cleared before 2020. This finding suggests that the Brazilian cacao sector can meet new European Union sustainability rules that ban imports from land deforested after December 31, 2020.

The study found that 96 percent of cacao in Pará and 98 percent in Rondônia state sits on old pastures or previously cleared land. While the expansion helps Brazil position itself as a sustainable exporter, the research also identified a shift in farming methods. Nearly two-thirds of new plantings in Pará are full-sun monocultures, where farmers grow a single crop without shade.

This method produces more beans per tree than traditional agroforestry systems but makes the crops more vulnerable to pests and disease. Adriano Venturieri and his team at Embrapa used satellite imagery and field surveys to track these changes. They found that most cacao properties in Pará are small, family-run plots of 5 hectares or less. While some farmers are moving toward monocultures to maximize immediate income, the agency and the CocoaAction Brasil initiative aim to promote sustainable models.

The Inova Cacau 2030 plan intends to make Brazil a global benchmark for sustainable cocoa by increasing production and ensuring 70 percent of the output is traceable by 2030.