- Cocoa farming makes many greenhouse gases.
- Researchers say planting shade trees helps.
- This practice is called agroforestry.
- The study used satellites and machine learning.
- It looked at Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
- Only about five per cent has 30% shade.
- Reaching 30% shade could offset 167% emissions.
- Many farmers are reluctant to plant trees.
- Groups gave 43 million seedlings since 2018.
Difficult words
- farm — A piece of land for growing crops.farms
- cocoa — A type of plant used to make chocolate.
- tree — A tall plant with a trunk and leaves.trees
- soil — The top layer of earth used for growing.
- cocoa crops — Plants grown for food or other use.
- moist — Slightly wet or damp.
- own — To have something as your property.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What do you think about using shade trees on cocoa farms?
- How might farmers feel about losing their crops?
- Why is agroforestry important for the environment?
Related articles
Turning sawdust into fire‑resistant boards with struvite
Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have made a recyclable composite from sawdust and the mineral struvite. The material resists fire better than untreated wood, is lighter than cement boards, and can be recycled, but costs and scale remain issues.
Diamond dust not suitable for stratospheric cooling
Researchers at Washington University studied detonation-made diamond dust for stratospheric aerosol injection. Simulations show carbon impurities and sp2 carbon cause absorption and reduce scattering, so these nanodiamonds are unlikely to cool the planet effectively.
Women, Forests and COP30: RADD's Forest Immersion in Cameroon
During COP30 in Belém (10–21 November 2025) RADD held a forest immersion on 17 November 2025 in Cameroon. The event connected women, local forest knowledge and global climate debates and included training, planting and exchanges.
