Partners for Innovation’s Peter Karsch visited the agricultural trade fair SARA 2025 in Côte d’Ivoire, as part of our ongoing efforts to contribute to more climate-friendly cocoa production and better incomes for cocoa farmers. Our journey in climate smart cocoa started in 2020 when the Dutch embassy in Abidjan and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) commissioned us to conduct a study into the biomass residues of five main crops in Côte d’Ivoire: cassava, cashew, rubber, palm oil and cocoa.  

The study, that we conducted with the assistance of local consultant Ange Marie Guero, yielded many interesting outcomes. Main residue types where quantified, current valorisation options were assessed as well as the potential for new options to turn these waste streams into a valuable feedstock for products and energy production.  

A striking element of the study was the huge negative climate impact of the cocoa pod husks (CPH) that are left to decay in the fields. As a result of the vast production volume (Côte d’Ivoire is the largest cocoa producer in the world) the annual methane emissions of the CPH turned out to be more than twice the countries’ fossil CO2-emissions. The results were presented during a well-attended online seminar in 2021.

To a more sustainable cocoa production  

In a follow-up study in cooperation with local consultancy LONO, we had the opportunity to zoom in further on the climate impacts of the cocoa value chain. By assessing impacts of all steps in the cocoa production value chain, recommendations were formulated for climate smart cocoa production.  

The huge emissions resulting from the CPH decaying in the field were once again confirmed, stressing the importance of replacing this practice with a process in which the pods are gathered and processed into a feedstock for materials and energy production. We had the  had the pleasure of presenting the results at SARA 2023, the outcome being summarized very snappy by RVO as: ‘don’t let the pod rot’! 

Turning cocoa pod husks into energy

Having studied the topic thoroughly, it is now time for action. In close cooperation with TNO, Beyond Beans, LONO and Imset, we are working on the development and implementation of a system aimed at extracting valuable components out of the CPH and turning the residue into high quality biochar and energy. Our presence at SARA 2025 was hence focused on pitching the project and paving the way for implementation, once the technology has been validated.  

We believe in the huge potential of the technology to contribute to mitigating climate impacts and living wages of cocoa farmers. Especially with the many initiatives popping up at the moment in which biochar is produced in an ‘artisanal’ manner in open pits or simple kilns (e.g. Kon-Tiki) there is an urgent need for a technology that not only produces high-quality biochar in which carbon is stored permanently, but also controls the emissions and makes productive use of the energy derived from the process.  

Although we applaud all efforts being made in biochar production, low-tech options are not the answer (as TNO confirmed during our first contact: “if you do it that way you will be sure to have a negative climate balance”). Therefore, we suggest full speed ahead now to reduce climate impacts and improve wages of cocoa farmers. We are looking forward to present the results of fully implemented industrial CPH to biochar and energy systems at SARA 2027!