Cocoa Farmers Restore Forests in São Tomé & Príncipe
Why this is here: The initiative has already produced over 240,980 seedlings of endemic fruit and tree species, which are being planted to provide shade for cocoa crops and restore critical forest canopy.
A new generation of cocoa farmers in São Tomé and Príncipe is restoring degraded forests with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 32-year-old Camila Varela De Carvalho harvests cocoa to support her family and community. She learned farming skills from her mother, emphasizing a woman’s independence through self-sufficiency.
The island nation relies on cocoa production but faces deforestation due to agricultural expansion and climate change. The FAO and the national government launched The Restoration Initiative (TRI) to address these issues.
Since 2023, the project restored over 8,000 hectares of agroforestry. It aims to restore 36,000 hectares by 2030.
CECAB, the largest cooperative, supports over 2,000 families and now includes an organic chocolate factory. Farmers are also receiving business training to expand production and processing.