In the context of emerging international trade regulations on deforestation-free commodities, the drivers of households’ deforestation in conservation landscapes are of interest. The role of households’ livelihood strategies including cocoa production, and the effects of human-elephant conflict are investigated. Using a unique dataset from a survey of 1035 households in the Tridom landscape in the Congo basin, the spatial autoregressive model shows that: (1) Households imitate the deforestation decisions of their neighbors; (2) A marginally higher income from cocoa production-based livelihood portfolios is associated with six to seven times higher deforestation compared to other livelihood strategies with a significant spillover effect on neighboring households’ deforestation. The increase in income, mainly from cocoa production-based livelihoods in open-access systems can have a negative effect on forests. Households with a higher share of auto-consumption are associated with lower deforestation. If economic development brings better market access and lower auto-consumption shares, this is likely to positively influence deforestation. Without proper land use planning/zoning associated with incentives, promoting sustainable agriculture, such as complex cocoa agroforestry systems, may lead to forest degradation and deforestation.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0302598Altmetric score:
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Publication year
2024
Authors
Ngouhouo-Poufoun, J.; Chaupain-Guillot, S.; Ndiaye, Y.; Sonwa, D.J.; Njabo, K.Y.; Delacote, P.
Language
English
Keywords
cocoa, livelihoods, deforestation, spatial analysis, landscape conversation, sustainable agriculture
