Cocoa Resilience at Risk: Confronting the Growing Threat of Cocoa Diseases

From West Africa to Brazil and Southeast Asia, emerging and persistent diseases are undermining farmer livelihoods, threatening supply chains, and testing the limits of scientific intervention.

At a plenary session on day one of the World Cocoa Foundation Partnership Meeting in Amsterdam, moderated by Kristy Leissle, Founder and CEO of African Cocoa Marketplace, leading voices from science, industry, and farming communities gathered to confront a sobering reality: despite decades of research and training, effective disease management remains elusive in many regions.

The message was clear—technical solutions alone are not enough. What’s needed is coordinated global action that integrates science, economics, governance, and farmer livelihoods.

A Systemic Crisis, Not a Single Disease

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSVD)

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) remains one of West Africa’s most destructive threats. Spread by tiny insects called mealybugs, the virus affects roughly 30% of cocoa farms in some regions, devastating yields and incomes.