Artificial pollination and ecosystem services in cocoa systems of Bahia: an economic and environmental viability analysis

In southern Bahia, Brazil, the predominant cocoa production system is cabruca, an agroforestry model in which cocoa trees are cultivated under the native forest canopy, reconciling agricultural production with environmental conservation. Due to shading, productivity in this system is lower than that observed in full-sun systems. This has encouraged producers to adopt management practices, such as artificial pollination, to increase productivity. In this context, this exploratory multiple-case study evaluates the effects of artificial pollination on cocoa production and productivity. Eight farms located in the municipalities of Canavieiras, Itacaré, Ilhéus, Una, and Jequié were evaluated. Data were collected between November 2023 and April 2024 and included the implementation costs of artificial pollination, as well as direct and indirect production costs. The analysis compared areas in which cocoa trees were subjected to artificial pollination, either manually (using tweezers) or mechanically (using an air blower), with areas managed without this practice. Economic viability was assessed using the benefit–cost ratio (BCR), break-even analysis, return on investment (ROI), sensitivity analysis, regression analysis, technical efficiency assessment, and projected returns over time. In addition, an integrated index combining economic (ROI) and environmental indicators is proposed to support the assessment of artificial pollination adoption. From an economic perspective, manual artificial pollination had an estimated implementation cost of US$ 1281.22, whereas mechanized artificial pollination had an estimated cost of US$ 36,865.61. Manual pollination in cabruca systems showed the best economic performance among the farms evaluated. The cost–benefit analysis indicated that manual pollination in cabruca systems generated a mean return of more than eight times for each monetary unit invested, whereas mechanized pollination in full-sun systems generated a return of approximately four times the amount invested. The results suggest that the additional costs associated with artificial pollination, when not offset by productivity gains, may favor the adoption of less sustainable agricultural practices, such as intensified use of chemical inputs, the replacement of agroforestry systems with full-sun monocultures, and reduced investment in agroecological management practices, with potential indirect environmental impacts. In this context, the adoption of manual artificial pollination, combined with the conservation of the cabruca system, may contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental sustainability of cocoa production in Bahia.