A Remote Sensing Supported Framework that Incentivizes Site-Specific Agronomic Management of Smallholder Cocoa Farms in Ghana (FRAME-Cacao)

The current practice of blanket application of fertilizer by cocoa farmers without the knowledge of the site-specific production condition have failed to translate into enhanced yield. The excessive and/or inefficient use of the fertilizers causes wastage of farmers’ financial resources and the chemical pollution of the farm environment. What exact fertilizer blend should be applied where and in what quantities is still an open subject in cocoa soil management practice in Ghana.

This project aims to harness GIS tools and remote sensing data to develop a decision support system (DSS) model for accurately detecting and predicting cocoa soils health within the context of cocoa farms management in Ghana. The study will train a machine learning algorithm to fuse legacy field datasets, cocoa yield data, soil properties, and freely available satellite-based optical and radar images from the Sentinel platform for site-specific agronomic management in smallholder cocoa farms. The research will also test a prove of concept by developing an Organo mineral fertilizer (OMF) to suit site specific cocoa nutrients requirement and reduce nutrients losses to the environment.

The project will be accomplished through four main objectives, each targeting the underlisted specific outcomes. One PhD student and two MSc/MPhil students will be trained on the project.

Outcome 1: Better understanding of the spatial variability in soil health within cocoa growing systems in Ghana to inform site specific soil improvements (fertilization).

Outcome 2: Better understanding of the relationship between the drivers of yield (soil heal variability, micro-climate, GAP, pollinators abundance etc.) and cocoa yield.

Outcome 3: Improved approach to spatio-temporal characterization of soil health within the context of farm management in cacao cropping systems using satellite based remote sensing data and GIS tools.

Outcome 4: A developed Organo mineral fertilizer (OMF) that suits site specific cocoa nutrients requirement and reduce nutrients losses to the environment.