Linking ecosystem services and living income: Assessing their contribution to cocoa farmers' livelihoods in Côte d'Ivoire

This study introduces a conceptual framework that links the concept of Living Income (LI) to Ecosystem Services (ESS), focusing on Côte d'Ivoire as the world's leading cocoa producer. LI is a concept and poverty benchmark incorporating several well-being dimensions to guarantee decent living conditions for farming households. LI is widely applied to agrifood commodities but lacks explicit consideration of the contribution of ESS to smallholder farmers' well-being. ESS, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting functions, are essential for sustaining the livelihoods of low-income farmers, particularly through contributions, such as the secondary products of the cocoa tree, to meet their household needs and generate additional household income. To assess the potential of selected ESS for enhancing the LI of cocoa farmers, we evaluate ESS based on a survey of 151 cocoa agroforestry farmers and 78 Cocoa Agroforestry System (CAFS) inventories, focusing specifically on cocoa yields and carbon sequestration. While certain species demonstrate a high capacity for carbon storage, others play a critical role in enhancing cocoa yield, directly influencing farmers’ income. To optimize farmers' income, it is essential to select tree species that offer a balance between these two benefits. The study also highlights the value of ESS, such as the provision of firewood, food, and medicinal plants, which has the potential to significantly reduce household expenditures. Our findings suggest that greater tree diversity enhances the stability of CAFS productivity and boosts resilience to climate fluctuations by providing shade and preserving soil moisture, while also improving soil fertility and cocoa yields. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the critical role ESS plays in CAFS and their potential to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers, highlighting the need for further integration of these services into agricultural policies and practices.