Chocolate -Banana delight: How to inter-crop Cocoa ?
Inter cropping is a common agriculture method, that, when used properly and combined with the appropriate Irrigation solution – can turn a challenging reality into a Success story !
This 300 Ha. Turnkey NaanDanJain Cocoa project in Vietnam, is one of the largest of its kind and an excellent example:
Difficult hot and dry weather, problematic soil conditions, as well as the magnitude of the project, called for creative solutions:
1. Inter cropping with Banana plants was used during the first years of the project to provide shade and keep moist for the young Cocoa plant.
It also generated extra income for the farmer during these early years.
2.To over come soil absorption challenges as well as the high evaporation rate, the Cocoa trees are grown on Beds covered with mulching and irrigated with TopDrip AS – The most effective irrigation method for these conditions.
All component of the project, including a large water reservoir, pumping stations, water and irrigation infrastructures and products, were designed, provided and supervised by NaanDanJain.