Cocoa farmers fear climate change lowering crop production

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Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. employ / ɛmˈplɔɪ / (v.) – to pay someone to do a job
    Example:

    This factory employs around 500 workers.


  2. ultimately / ˈʌl tɪ mɪt lɪ / (adv.) – used to emphasize the central or most important way
    Example:

    A poor diet will ultimately lead to illness.


  3. make up (something) / ˈmeɪkˌʌp / (phrasal v.) – to form a particular thing, amount, or number as a whole
    Example:

    Women in their 20s make up three-fourths of our company employees.


  4. small-scale / ˈsmɔlˈskeɪl / (adj.) – involving a few people, things, or activity
    Example:

    Our company grants loans to small-scale business owners.


  5. look at (something) / lʊk æt / (phrasal v.) – to think of something as a problem or as a possibility
    Example:

    If you really cheated in your exam, you could be looking at a three-day suspension.


Article

Read the text below.

For more than 40 years, Jean Baptiste Saleyo has farmed cocoa on several acres of his family’s land in Ivory Coast, a West African nation that produces almost half the world’s supply of the raw ingredient used in chocolate bars.


But this year Saleyo says the rains have become unpredictable, and he fears his crop could be yet another victim of climate change.


“When it should have rained, it didn’t, it didn’t rain,” Saleyo said as he inspected the ripeness of one of his cocoa pods. “It’s raining now, but it’s already too late.”


Cocoa farming employs nearly 600,000 farmers here in Ivory Coast, ultimately supporting nearly a quarter of the country’s population — about 6 million people, according to the Coffee-Cocoa Council.


And it makes up about 15% of Ivory Coast’s national GDP, according to official figures.


National production remains on track because the amount of land being cultivated is on the rise. But experts say small-scale farmers are hurting this year. For the cocoa tree to fruit well, rains need to come at the right times in the growing cycle. Coming at the wrong times risks crop disease.


Some who are used to producing 500 kilograms are looking at only 200 kilograms this year, said Jean Yao Brou, secretary-general of the Anouanze cooperative, which helps farmers bring their crops to markets.


“Our producers have big worries with the production,” he said.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Some who are used to producing 500 kg of cocoa in Ivory Coast are looking at only 200 kg this year. This could result in fewer supply of chocolate bars. How do you feel about this possible shortage personally? Discuss.
  • What do you think will be the impact of fewer supply of chocolate bars (ex. pro: fewer supplies mean fewer health risks, con: lower profit for businesses)? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The rains have become unpredictable, and farmers like Saleyo fear their crops could be another victim of climate change. Based on this, what do you think is the future of the agricultural industry (ex. hopeless, difficult)? Why so? In your opinion, what support should the government give to the agricultural industry? Discuss.
  • If you were a farmer and the produce you were growing is affected by climate change, what would you do (ex. grow a different crop, find a new job)? Discuss.