Abstract:

The study investigated farmers' ecological knowledge and management relating to cocoa
aggroforests in the Atwima district of Ghana, with the view to selecting and developing
the potential of native forest tree species for use as shade in multi-strata cocoa
agroforestry systems. More specifically, the study investigate farmers' knowledge about
the ecology and management of multi-strata cocoa systems, with the view to identifying
native forest tree species preferred by farmers as shade for cocoa. Based on this
preliminary survey of fanner knowledge and preferences, eight indigenous forest tree
species were selected for field screening. Field studies involved: (i) assessment of their
natural distribution in different landuse systems, to determine natural regeneration
potential; (ii) evaluation of their phenological patterns and light regimes under their
canopies, with the view to determining their suitability for shade provision; (iii)
evaluation of growth performance, when planted as shade on cocoa farms; (iv)
determination of potential below-ground complementarity in resource use (particularly
water) between planted shade and the cocoa, through evaluation of root competitivity
indices for the planted species, as well as determination of water use by means of sap flow measurements