Project initiation team members

and sustain cocoa productivity and quality in a wider range of socio-economic settings of the STCP participating countries in West Africa. The design principle surrounds the concept that such strategy can attain the full potential of cocoa to reduce poverty by improving the economic and social well-being of smallholders and the environmental sustainability of their tree crop systems. The primary aim of the project is to develop and disseminate environmentally sound and productivity-enhancing technologies for use by smallholder tree crop farmers and other users. Within the project vision, plans are to build on of the most successful research results produced by STCP and globally. Policy options will be developed to influence government policies. Scientists, extension services, targeted farmer groups and development agents will be pooled together in a multidisciplinary and participatory fashion to address key issues within a community focus. STCP will communicate innovative solutions to all interested parties globally. For programmatic purposes, the project will be comprised of six themes: 1- Integrated pest and disease management 2- Germplasm improvement and production of quality planting materials 3- Rehabilitation of existing smallholder tree crop farms 4- Valuing the environmental services of three crops 5- Enhancing post-harvest product quality 6- Ensuring and measuring impact of innovations Some of these activities will be implemented as part of cashew researc