Daily News
Environment World News 3rd November 2022
Project in Ghana
Aims to Save
Chocolate from
Climate Change
The cocoa plant is under threat from climate
change. And that’s bad news for those of us
with a sweet tooth.
Cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate!
Countries in West Africa produce around 70%
of all the world’s cocoa. One of the countries in
this area is Ghana. It’s the second-largest cocoa-
Photo: ‘Food of the gods’.
producing country in the world.
However, droughts, rising temperatures and crops and trees all being grown in the same area.
unpredictable rainfall are making it harder to Trees are planted around the cocoa to
grow cocoa there. provide it with shade. This helps protect it
from scorching heat and rising
global temperatures. Other crops
Did You Know…?
are also grown between the
rows of cocoa.
• It’s thought that people in South America were
Pests that could attack the
consuming cacao beans around 5000 years ago but
cocoa plants might feed on the
chocolate only came to the UK around 400 years ago other plants instead. More plants
and was enjoyed mainly as a drink. also increases the number of
pollinators in the area.
• The company J.S. Fry & Sons made the first edible
Fairtrade Africa is one of
chocolate bar in 1847 and the scientific name for the the organisations leading the
cacao tree is Theobroma cacao which means ‘food of project. They think agroforestry
the gods’. can help cocoa plants deal with
climate change.
Some farmers in Ghana have said that their Good news for cocoa farmers and for those
yields have fallen in recent years by more who like chocolate.
than half.
One of the things being done to help is Glossary
something called ‘agroforestry’. droughts Long periods of time when there
When you think of an arable farm, it might is no rain.
bring to mind the image of rolling fields of
yields Amounts of food produced.
wheat or a similar crop.
Although cocoa comes from a tree, these trees arable Growing crops.
are often farmed in a similar way. Areas of land
pollinators Insects that help plants, such as
used for growing only one type of crop.
bees and butterflies.
Agroforestry is different. It is a mix of different
Tadmore Tutors Tuition
Questions
1. Which country is the second-largest cocoa-producing country in the world?
2. Summarise the key information in the article using 15 words or fewer.
3. Tick to show whether the statement is a fact or an opinion.
Fact Opinion
Chocolate is delicious.
Over two-thirds of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa.
The first edible chocolate bar was made in 1847.
Chocolate is the best flavour of ice cream.
4. Look at this sentence: When you think of an arable farm, it might bring to mind the
image of rolling fields of wheat or a similar crop. What does the word ‘crop’ mean in this
sentence? (tick one)
Cut off pieces of an image to make it smaller.
A plant used as food and grown in large amounts.
A short hairstyle.
A bag-shaped part of a bird where food is stored.
5. Find and copy two of the things that are making it harder to grow cocoa in Ghana.
1.
2.
6. Look at the fact box. Give the meaning of the word ‘consuming’ as it is used in that context.
Tadmore Tutors Tuition
Answers
1. Which country is the second-largest cocoa-producing country in the world?
Ghana
2. Summarise the key information in the article using 15 words or fewer.
Accept any reasonable answer which summarises the key information in 15 words or
fewer, e.g. Growing cocoa with other plants might help it survive climate change.
3. Tick to show whether the statement is a fact or an opinion.
Fact Opinion
Chocolate is delicious.
Over two-thirds of the world’s cocoa comes from West Africa.
The first edible chocolate bar was made in 1847.
Chocolate is the best flavour of ice cream.
4. Look at this sentence: When you think of an arable farm, it might bring to mind the
image of rolling fields of wheat or a similar crop. What does the word ‘crop’ mean in this
sentence? (tick one)
Cut off pieces of an image to make it smaller.
A plant used as food and grown in large amounts.
A short hairstyle.
A bag-shaped part of a bird where food is stored.
5. Find and copy two of the things that are making it harder to grow cocoa in Ghana.
Accept any two from climate change, droughts, rising temperatures and
unpredictable rainfall.
6. Look at the fact box. Give the meaning of the word ‘consuming’ as it is used in that context.
Accept any reasonable answer which gives a correct definition of the term in that
context, e.g. it means to eat or drink something.
Tadmore Tutors Tuition
