With the production of African cocoa beans in a serious decline, the future of chocolate is questionable. A crop that's naturally grown in the rainforest, two-thirds of the world's cocoa beans are now harvested in in West Africa. However, the African soil degrades quickly, shortening the lifespan of the plants to 30 years or so. The director of Ghana's Nature Conservation Research Council, John Mason, explains the situation:
I think that in 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average Joe just won't be able to afford it. The way we farm is just not sustainable. I'm afraid by the time we wake up to that fact it will be too late. I've worked in Ghana for 25 years and I can show you huge areas that can no longer support a crop.
Drastic changes need to be made in order for the world to meet the chocolate demand. Together with international environment charity Earthwatch, Cadbury (which gets all of its cocoa beans from Ghana) is looking for a solution to the problem. I find this highly disturbing and can't imagine a world without chocolate. How about you? Will you start stockpiling chocolate now?
ras
Arizona
Sofa Workshop
Noooooooo!!!
1Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
2I know this is sad, but this actually makes me more concerned for the earth than anything I have read.
3Like I'm not stockpiling chocolate for many, many other reasons already?
4Great, more good news.
5Thats extremely scary. So frightening the state of the earth.
Is there any other region that is able to grow chocolate?
Can it be grown in climate controlled greenhouse type structures? I wonder.
6While not having chocolate is a concern, it is the least of the worries your generation will have. The current administration thinks that Global Warming is a myth and is doing nothing about it.
7I think we need to take a look at what we are doing to the earth. How much we destroy and pollute. We chop down forests and push animals out of their habitats, we over fish to the point that certain types of sea life are now scarce. Its no surprise that certain crops will no longer be available soon in our future. The soil is degrading and the number of bees is decreasing. We are headed for scary times.
8I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.
9This is horrifying
10that would be insane if chocolate crops were to become obsolete. it's interesting to think about it actually. places like Disney World in Orlando have been farming things hydroponically and i wonder if cocoa is one of those plants that you can be successful in doing that. hmm....
i don't think that i would stock pile it, i just wonder how generations in the future would like life if there wasn't as much chocolate.
11I don't think I'd be able to stockpile it, actually! Every once in a while, I'll buy one of those big bags of chocolates. They're always all gone by the end of the day.
12how long does chocolate last for? i'll freeze tons of it!
13I'm sad to say this but I really wish my daughter was here to see all of the horrible stuff that keeps arising in our world. We're supposed to be living in a better time. I don't see that and it makes me ache that my daughter might not have a better life than me. And I think that's one of a parents' worst fears. I guess all that I can do is to teach her about all the changes that must be done and pass them to her.
14sorry wasn't here is what i meant to say
15this is terrible.
16That's awful. The only silver lining to this is at least the human rights abuses associated with chocolate farming will decrease.
17This is horrible!! Both for the love of chocolate and for the love of the earth. We all need to wake up and do something STAT!
18Seriously do not even go there with me. I don't even want to think about this ever happening.
19Is this going to affect carob crops as well? I have a huge weakness for chocolate but I would switch to carob if it would help renew the cocoa crops.
20That's tragic. First and foremost, for the Earth. Secondly, for my tastebuds.
21What will I do to cope with the bed news...if I can't eat chocolate...vicious cycle
22*Gasp! Please say it isn't so. I was never a big caviar fan, so I guess I will be spending my mula on chocolate.
23Oh no! That's so sad.
24I'm not a huge chocolate fan myself, but what will I do when I get in those moods where I want nothing but chocolate?!
Do not waaaaaaaaaaaaant!!!!!
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