The consequences of cocoa production on soil fertility in Ghana : A review

Cocoa cultivation over the past 20 years has been concentrated in the Western Region of Ghana where Most of the soils have been found to be unsuitable for the crop. During the 10-year period (1982-92), the estimated total amounts of major nutrients removed from the soil through the harvested beans alone were 76 000, 4 700 and 18 000 tonnes of NPK respectively. The non-use of fertilizer has led to decline in soil fertility with consequential decrease in production. The paper reviews and discusses the effects of cocoa production on soil fertility in Ghana and offers possible solution to the declined soil fertility. Ghana Jnl agric. Sci. Vol.30(2) 1997: 183-19