From the cocoa landscapes of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire to the palm oil fields of Malaysia and the forest mosaics of Brazil, countries across the tropics are seeking ways to restore degraded land, enhance farmer resilience, and develop more regenerative food systems.<\/p>\n
Over the past few months, delegations from C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Malaysia travelled to\u00a0Par\u00e1, Brazil<\/a>, in a knowledge exchange coordinated by Earthworm Foundation, to learn firsthand how agroforestry can serve as a bridge between productivity and restoration.<\/p>\n The visits, held between July and September 2025, came at a crucial time. As the world prepares for\u00a0COP30<\/a>\u00a0in Bel\u00e9m, governments are under increasing pressure to demonstrate how their climate pledges can translate into tangible on-the-ground change. In this context, the exchanges offered a rare example of direct collaboration among tropical nations, leaders, researchers, and farmers coming together to share proven approaches for building more resilient rural economies.<\/p>\n In Tom\u00e9-A\u00e7u, a landscape long recognised for its pioneering agroforestry systems, the delegations observed farms where oil palm, cocoa, fruit trees, and native forest species, such as a\u00e7a\u00ed and andiroba, grow side by side. These systems,\u00a0developed over more than four decades<\/a>\u00a0by cooperatives such as\u00a0CAMTA<\/a>\u00a0and local farmers of Japanese descent, mimic the structure and function of natural forests.<\/p>\n What the visitors saw was a living demonstration of how biodiversity and productivity can mutually reinforce each other. Farmers explained how intercropping helps them smooth income throughout the year, reduce pest outbreaks, and improve soil fertility, all while re-establishing ecological balance.<\/p>\n During the trip, delegates also met researchers at\u00a0Cocoa Farming Plan (CEPLAC)<\/a>, Brazil\u2019s cocoa research and extension agency, where decades of trials have refined how technical services can guide farmers through the complex process of transitioning to diversified systems. The discussions went beyond agronomy, touching on how governments can embed agroforestry into national land-use and agricultural policies.<\/p>\n Brazil\u2019s Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, met with the Ivorian delegation, recognising the political importance of these partnerships. The exchange signalled that agroforestry is not only an agricultural practice but a pathway for climate and biodiversity diplomacy.<\/p>\n For C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, the world\u2019s largest cocoa producer, the visit came as the country advances its plan to restore 5 million hectares of degraded forests and land by 2030. Cocoa production has been impacted by a combination of pests, including the swollen shoot virus, and climate-related yield declines, which is increasing pressure on rural livelihoods.<\/p>\n \u201cAgroforestry is important because it restores life cycles: connectivity, succession, and biodiversity,\u201d said Eleanor Ngbesso, Africa Programme Manager at Earthworm Foundation. \u201cIts implementation ensures revitalisation and a new agricultural paradigm focused on effective resource management.\u201d<\/p>\n C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire\u2019s Minister of Water and Forests, Laurent Tchagba, led two missions to Brazil earlier in 2025, including high-level meetings in Bras\u00edlia with Marina Silva. The goal: to understand how Brazil\u2019s decades of agroforestry policy and farmer engagement might inform C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire\u2019s own forest restoration strategy.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Malaysia faces a different but complementary challenge. With over\u00a0114,000 hectares<\/a>\u00a0of oil palms replanted in 2024, the country is undergoing a major replanting cycle. The\u00a0Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB)<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB)<\/a>\u00a0view agroforestry as a means to diversify income streams during the years preceding the harvest of new palms, reduce vulnerability to climate shocks, and enhance rural resilience.<\/p>\n \u201cThis visit has opened our eyes to how diversified systems might cushion farmers during transitions and strengthen resilience,\u201d said Dr Mohd Hefni bin Rusli, Director at MPOB\u2019s Smallholder Extension and Certification Division. \u201cWe hope to pilot and adapt what we\u2019ve seen in Malaysia, in collaboration with other commodities.\u201d<\/p>\nLearning from Brazil\u2019s Living Laboratory<\/h2>\n
Shared Challenges, Different Contexts<\/h2>\n
Earthworm\u2019s Role as Connector<\/h2>\n