Brazilian cacao expands on old land without clearing forests
Brazilian researchers mapped new cacao growth in the Amazon that expanded significantly while avoiding recent deforestation in the region.
Mapping by Embrapa showed cacao area in Pará rose by 33% between 2022 and 2024 to 116,436 hectares. Nearly all this new growth occurred on land previously cleared for pasture before the year 2020 began. This pattern keeps production compliant with strict European Union sustainability regulations regarding forest protection.
The study revealed a shift toward full-sun monocultures where single crops grow without shade from other trees. Although these systems produce more beans per tree, they are more vulnerable to pests and leave farmers dependent on one specific commodity.
Researchers used satellite imagery and field checks to identify cacao hidden under forest canopies or in degraded pastures. Adriano Venturieri led the effort by combining radar data with high-resolution images from multiple satellites to create precise maps.
CocoaAction Brasil funded the updated study to help farmers prove their cacao origins and traceability paths to global buyers. Stella said understanding exactly where crops grow makes it much easier to verify supply chain integrity for consumers.
“Here, we start from areas that have already been deforested.”