This document summarizes Howard Shapiro's presentation on cacao science, sustainability, and visions for change. Some key points: - Cacao yields globally average only 450 kg/ha, but with improved planting material, fertilizer, and pest control, yields could potentially increase over 3x to 1500 kg/ha. - Mars sequenced the cacao genome in 2008-2010 and made it publicly available to accelerate breeding of higher-yielding, resilient varieties. Genetic resistance to diseases like witch's broom has also been identified. - The Visions for Change initiative aims to empower farmers through a "productivity package" including improved planting material, cacao-specific fertilizer, and rural financing to re

1. Howard'Yana*Shapiro,*PhD*
Chief*Agricultural*Officer*
Mars*Advanced*Science*InsAtute*Fellow*
Senior*Fellow*Plant*Sciences*
*The*University*of*California,*Davis**
Fellow*The*World*Agroforestry*Centre*
*
Uncommon&Collabora,on:&
Flavonoids,&Flavanols,&Flavan434ols,&the&Theobroma&
Cacao&Genome&and&Visions&for&Change:&
A&Business&Case&for&Agroforestry:&&Sustainable&Supply&
The&3rd&World&Congress&on&Agroforestry&
11&February&2014&New&Delhi&

2. It*is*Difficult*to*be*the*Agent*of*
Change*
*
The*System*Likes*the*Present*Order*
More*Than*
Discovering*the*Future*
*
2*

3. Why&Cacao&Science,&&Human&Health,&
Genomics&and&Sustainability?&
&&Without*new*science*the*industry*will*stagnate,*one*only*has*to**
********look*at*yields,*disease*resistance,*adaptability*to*see*the*future*
**No*single*scienAfic*advance*will*sustain*an*industry*
**Soils*are*as*important*as*sequencing*
**Mycorrhizae*are*as*important*as*markeAng*
**Phytoecology*is*as*important*as*pathogenicity*
**Needs*to*be*demand'*driven*not*supply'led*(esp.*by*farmers)*
**Not*all*of*science*developed*will*work*
**Possible*≠*Feasible*≠*PracAcal*≠*Profitable*
Remember*the*biggest*consumers*of*cacao*are*insects,**
*********fungus*and*viruses*
It*will*cost*money*
*Must*be* fundamental*and*translaAonal *
*******************************************************************************(from*Tony*Simons)*
3*

4. 4
Cacao&Flavanols&[Flavan434ols&and&Procyanidins]&

5. Clinical Research | June 03, 2008 !
Sustained Benefits in Vascular Function Through Flavanol-Containing Cocoa in
Medicated Diabetic Patients: A Double-Masked, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Jan Balzer, MD*; Tienush Rassaf, MD*; Christian Heiss, MD*; Petra Kleinbongard, PhD*; Thomas Lauer, MD*; Marc Merx,
MD*; Nicole Heussen, PhD†; Heidrun B. Gross, PhD‡; Carl L. Keen, PhD‡; Hagen Schroeter, PhD§; Malte Kelm, MD*
* Department for Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
† Department of Medical Statistics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
‡ Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California
§ Mars Symbioscience, Rockville, Maryland.
&
Conclusion:**Diets*rich*in*flavanols*reverse*vascular*
dysfuncAon*in*diabetes,*highlighAng*therapeuAc*
potenAals*in*cardiovascular*disease.*
* 5*

6. The&Science&of&Cacao&
August*2012:*Cacao*flavanol*consumpAon*shown*to*improve*cogniAve*funcAon*
Desideri*et*al.*Hypertension.*(2012)*60(3):794'801.

7. 1960*
1945*
1990*
1973*
Cacao*and*Ca`le*
The*Ma`a*AtlanAca*
Rainforest*in*Bahia,*Brazil*

8. IntegraAon*of*Trees*in*Farms:*Brazil*

10. 10*

21. Part*Two*

22. The*Kumasi*Consensus*&**
The*2nd*World*Congress*of*Agroforestry*
Develop*comprehensive*mulA'sector*strategies*for*science,*
technology*and*development,**bringing*together*all*stakeholder*
views.**
*
Bundle*the*scienAfic*values*with*cerAficaAon*for*sustainable*
producAon,*intensified*yields*and*diversificaAon*of*cacao*agroforestry*
systems*to*change*the*enAre*supply*chain*globally**
“Mars&will&not&cer,fy&poverty”&
&
Develop*Yield*PotenAal*understanding*to*benchmark*global*
producAon*figures*
*
Build*coaliAons/partnerships*of*Governments'Industries'UniversiAes'
Farmers'Research*InsAtuAons*to*jointly*solve*the*problems****
All*players*have*to*be*at*the*table.**
No*one*part*of*the*soluAon*can*do*this*alone*
Put*aside*long*standing*myths*

23. Sustainable**
Cacao**IniAaAve*
*Cacao*Science*
Mapping*the*Cacao*
Genome*
Using*Marker*Assisted*
SelecAon*to*develop*more*
producAve*trees*
*
Technology*Transfer*
Vision*for*Change*
*
CerAficaAon**
100%*sustainable*cerAfied*
cacao*by*2020*

24. ECONOMIC**
ISSUES*
• Low*farmer*income*
• Inability*to*invest*in*
farms*
• No*new*planAng*
material**
• Limited*use*of*
ferAlizer*
• No*quality*
incenAves*
SOCIAL*ISSUES*
• Low*availability*of*
social*services*
• Poor*access*to*
health*care**
&*educaAon*
• Declining*interest*in*
cocoa*farming*
• Increased*urban**
migraAon*
ENVIRONMENTAL*
ISSUES*
• Declining*soil*
ferAlity*
• Aging*trees*
• Pest*&*disease*
exposure*
• Loss*of*biodiversity*
• New*land*
unavailable*
• DeforestaAon*
DECLINING**
CACAO*YIELDS**
AND*QUALITY*
Cacao*Cycle*of*
Decline*
24*

25. Vision*for*Change*
A*“ProducAvity*Package”*with*all*3*elements*to*
farmers*
*
Graned*best*current*plant*material,*even*be`er*
material*in*the*future*enabled*by*the*cacao*
genome**
*
Cacao*specific*ferAlizer*
*
Rural*sector*financing*

26. June*26th*2008*Mars*announced*it*would*sequence*the*cacao*genome.**We*also*
announced*it*would*give*it*away.**Enormous*media*response.**Quickly,*the*
public*domain*release*is*seized*upon*as*a*new*paradigm*in*geneAcs.*
*
On*September*15th**2010,*Mars,*IBM*and*the*U.S.*Department*of*Agriculture'
Agriculture*Research*Service**(USDA'ARS)*and*our*partners*completed*a*two*and*
a*quarter*year*effort*to*sequence*assemble*and*annotate*the*cacao*genome.*
*
Approximately*$8*million*contribuAon*from*Mars,*Incorporated**
*
Will*allow*cacao*breeders*to*make*decisions*quickly*on*producing*high'yielding,*
climate*resilient,*disease'resistant*cacao*plants.*
Put*in*the*public*domain*through*the*Public*Intellectual*Property*Resource*for*
Agriculture*(PIPRA),*the*cacao*genome*will*not*be*patented.**
Sequencing,*Assembling*and*AnnotaAng*the*
Cacao*Genome*

27. *******************
Uncommon&Collabora,on&
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&IBM&
Wall*Street*Journal*May,*2009*
27*

28. INDIANA*
UNIVERSITY*
Howard4Yana&Shapiro&
Juan&Carlos&Motamayor&
Ray&Schnell&
David&Kuhn&
Brian&Scheffler&
Isidore&Rigoutsos&
Niina&Haiminen&
Dorrie&Main&
Alan&BenneZ&
Richard&Michelmore&
Chris&Saski&
Alex&Feltus&
Keithanne&Mockai,s&
Greg&May&
Tim&Harkins&
The*Cacao*Genome*
Sequencing*Project*
28*

29. Witches’&Broom&inoculated&pods&
Tolerant&clones&
&
'TSH*1188*
'TSH*516*
Suscep,ble&clone&
&
'Amelonado*
GeneAc*Resistance*
WB& WB&
WB&
WB&
WB&
WB&
WB&
WB&
WB&
NAP*23*
NB=31*
TAP*10*
NB=4*
WB&
WB&
Resistance**
to*Witches’**
broom*
29*

30. 6719
10635
4995
6612
4199
6393
3765
4338
2732
4554
2669
3156
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
PH 16 PH 16 CCN 51 CCN 51
4 X 2 m 3,5 X 1,5 m 4 X 2 m 3,5 X 1,5 m
Kg/Ha
POTENTIAL
PREDICTED
REAL
Yield*PotenAal*
Globally*the*yield*is*450*kgs*per*ha**

31. V4C*Empowering*Cacao*Farmers*
*Need*to*drive*yields*to*1500*kgs+*/*Ha*
*Change*must*occur*on*current*land*or*rehabilitated*land*
Expanded*land*use*and*deforestaAon*is*not*the*answer**
*Farmers*must*have*criAcal*inputs*available*
*Improved*planAng*material*made*available*via*budwood/somaAc*
*embryogenesis*for*graning*or*improved*hybrid*seed*
Appropriate,*effecAve*and*affordable*ferAlizer*
Pest*and*disease*soluAons*
Savings,*crop*insurance,*macro*and*micro*credit*instruments*
Outreach*and*success*promoted*via*responsible*naAonal*standards*
Shared*knowledge*and*value*
Science*translated*to*the*Farmer’s*field*

32. Success*is*complex*
VerAcal*integraAon*for*all*Uncommon&Collaborators,*from*governments*to*
farmers*and*all*in*between.***
Remember*Edmund*Phelps,*Nobel*Laureate*Economics*thoughts*on*ag*
*“…there*will*be*winners*and*losers.**The*early*adaptors*win…”*
Mars*leads*and*a*few*of*our*compeAtors*are*becoming*uncommon*
*collaborators.*G7*
Failure*is*inevitable*but*success*is*realized*if*you*really*are*commi`ed* *and*
*will*go*the*distance.***
No*illusions.**Agree*to*evaluate*passionless*the*value*of*the*acAvity.*
“Put*your*money*where*your*mouth*is”*in*American*vernacular.*
****************Dollars*in*real*terms.*
****************Ministers*of*Ag*and*Finance*are*key*
****************Long'term*persistence*and*engagement.*
****************Science*and*pracAce*translated*for*the*benefit*of*the*farmer.*
****************Don’t*do*what*you*do*not*know*how*to*do,*others*can*do*it* *
* * * *be`er.*
****************Pick*your*intervenAons.*
****************Scale*and*scaling.*
****************…and*more* 32*

33. We*know*how*to*increase*yields*3x*
Note: Poverty level defined as income of $1/day/person
Source: World Development Report 2008; C. Peter Timmer, Agriculture and Pro-Poor Growth ,
Syngenta Foundation
Sub-Saharan Africa: Flat Cereal Yields, Persistent Poverty
South Asia: Increasing Cereal Yields, Decreasing Poverty
450
135
585
351
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
Current Knowledge
/ Pest
Control
Plant
Material
Fertilizer
Poten,al&Impact&of&&Cacao&Farm&Produc,vity&Increases&
(Gains&in&Kg/Ha)*
New Productivity – 1521 Kg/Ha
>3X
CocoaYield(Kg/Ha)
*
600+*

34. InnovaAve*Farm*RehabilitaAon*
Older*ways*of*training*farmers*will*not*work**
*Good*Agricultural*PracAces*do*not*drive*change*when:*
&Soils&are&depleted&
&Trees&/&plan,ng&material&are&old&and&unimproved&
&There&is&lack&of&disease&resistance&&
&Pest&&&Disease&control&solu,ons&
&Technical&training&for&farmers&
&There&is&no&incen,ve&for&good&prac,ce&and&quality&of&produc,on&
*
Farmers*need*to*see*and*believe*that*change*is*possible*on*their*farm*
Rigorous*pilot*plots*for*proof*of*concept*(mulAple*sites)*
*
Capacity*building*in*the**NaAonal*Agricultural*Research*Centres*and*in*the*
NaAonal*Extension*Services**
*Not*the*responsibility*or*capability*of*NGO s*working*on*short*term*basis*
*

35. Capacity*building*and*capacity*mobilisaAon:**
State*of*our*collaborator,*CNRA*HQ*in*Abidjan,**
Cote*d’Ivoire*August*2011* 35*

36. THE&WORLD&AGROFORESTRY&CENTRE&
You*cannot*do*it*alone!*
You*must*have*partners*on*the*ground*
Choose*your*partners*from*shared*value*and*consensus*
through*tractable*conversaAons*
*
Our*choice*was*to*collaborate*with*
Uncommon*CollaboraAons*

37. Change*the*Model*of*Training*

38. V4C*ImplementaAon:**Uncommon*
CollaboraAon*
• V4C in 2011
• Community
Development
• V4C in 2012-2013
• Productivity

39. V4C&in&2011&
Staffing&and&facili,es&
Staff&
Soubre*
San*Pedro*
Field&Office&&&Training&
centre&
5*CDC*Offices*
DemonstraAon**
nurseries*
*
*

40. V4C&in&201142013&
Community&Development&
&
5&CDC&Administra,ve&Unit&
(Terroir)&mapped&
3&Local&development&plan&–
Terroir&(PDL4T)&developed&
13&ANADER&staff&(EPL&team)&
trained&on&Child&labor&and&
social&cohesion&by&ICI&
CD&Procedures&Manual&in&
progress&&
&
&
Funding Mechanism for community empowerment projects
developed with the Ivorian government

41. V4C&in&2011&
&
Introduce grafting
technologies to
revitalize old
cacao plantations
Transforming
cacao landscape
And lives
*

42. &
V4C*in*2012*&
Plan,ng&Material&&
&
Investments&
IrrigaAon*faciliAes*
Laboratory*faciliAes*for*
SomaAc*Embryogenesis*
*PropagaAon*

43. &
V4C&in&201142014&&
Plan,ng&Material&&
&
CNRA**
3.5*ha*clonal*gardens*with*15*clones*
PotenAel*300*000*budwoods*sAcks*
*
In*2012:*
' *8ha*clonal*gardens*
' 8*ha*seed*gardens*
' mulAlocal*germplasm*evaluaAon*
In*2013**
'Screening*for*disease*
'CerAfied*disease*free*material*
In*2014*
'rapid*increase*of*producAon*region*
wide*
*
1&billion&budwood*sAcks*is*
our*goal*
*

44. Graning*for*RehabilitaAon*
4&weeks&ajer&grajing&
9&months&ajer&grajing&more&than&30&pods&

45. Demonstrate*The*Value*of*FerAlizer*

46. Shared*Value*of*Standards*Leading*to**
3rd*Party*CerAficaAon*
*Economic*power*built**on*higher*yields*(1500k+),*coupled*with*good*farming*
pracAces*and*higher*cacao*quality*for*the*marketplace***
Low&Quality&
Poverty&
High&Quality&
Prosperity&

47. The*Only*Future*Is*Sustainable*
ProducAon!**

48. At*the*2nd*World*Congress*on*
Agroforestry*
*I*said:*
We*will*not*cerAfy*poverty!*
*
Today,*let*be*absolutely*clear:*
We*will*only*cerAfy*prosperity!*

49. Part*3*
49*

50. 300 die

51. We want to improve human health
through making plants more
nutritious!

52. The*African*Orphan*Crops*ConsorAum*
*was*formed*in*2011*
*
The*African*Plant*Breeding*Academy**
opened*December*2nd*2013,**
250*plant*breeders*will*be*trained,**
are*they*the*future*of*Africa*
*

54. ! ! ! ! !
Ayodeji(Abe,(Ph.D.(
Nigeria
Ngozi(Eucharia(Abu,(Ph.D.(
Nigeria!
Olagorite(A.(Adetula,(Ph.D.(
Nigeria!
Daniel(Adewale,(Ph.D.(
Nigeria(
Michael(Barnor(
Ghana(
maize! pepper,!allium! creeping!foxglove! cocoa! eggplant,!yam,!rice!
!
!
!
!
! ! !
!
Agyemang(Danquah,(Ph.D.(
Ghana!
Bathe(Diop,(Ph.D.(
Senegal
Million(F.(Erena(
Ethiopia!
Yonas(Moges(Gelaw(
Ethiopia!
Honoré(Kam,(Ph.D.(
Burkina!Faso(
sorghum,!bean! rice! bean,!pea,!oil!crops! sorghum,!bean! rice!
! ! !
!
!
Miseo(Keweti(
Ethiopia(
Sunday(Makinde,(Ph.D.(
Nigeria!
Busio(Olga(Mavankeni(
Zimbabwe(
Firew(Mekbib(
Ethiopia!
Desire(N’Da(Pokou,(Ph.D.(
CôteCd'Ivoire
! maize! okra! bean,!cowpea,!rice! tef,!yam,!bean! cocoa!
!

55. The*first*26*of*101*Genomes*will*be**
Sequenced,*Assembled*and*
Annotated**
in*2014**

56. 15*of*the*crops*are*trees*

58. It*is*an*Uncommon*CollaboraAon*
*

60. BGI*(Beijing*Genomic*InsAtute)*Will*
Produce*the*101*Reference*
Genomes*Fully*Sequenced,*
Assembled*and*Annotated**

61. Resequencing*of*CulAvars*Will*Be*
Done*at*the*African*Plant*Breeding*
Academy*at*ICRAF*
Using*the*Life*Technologies**
Ion*Proton*Plaworm*

62. Big*Data*
That*is*101*genomes*resequenced*with*between*100*and*150*
culAvars.***
Do*the*math,*between*10,100*and*15,150*sequences*
The*data*BGI*and*the*AfPBA*generates*will*be*hosted*through*
iPlant*at*the*University*of*Arizona*
Shared*around*the*world*through*the*Google&Cloud&
**
All&data&will&be&held&in&the&public&domain&

64. Breeding*with*Genomics*in*the*Public*Domain*
Whole*Genome*Reference*Sequence*
Resequence*
SNPs/indels*
AnnotaAon*
Genotype*by*sequence*
Low*pass*sequence*
Sequence*sampling*
Marker*Assisted*Breeding*
QTLs*
High*density*geneAc*maps*
Genome*selecAon*
Shortened*breeding*cycles*
Breeding*by*design*
Novel*traits*
Access*unadapted*germplasm*
Biological*models*
Sequence*disease*and*pests*
Systems*biology* Improved*varieAes*
Sustainable*society*

65. To*significantly*improve*the*
nutriAon*of*an*enAre*conAnent*

66. And*posiAvely**
affect*the**
development*of*
every*child,*
shall*India*or*China*be*the*next*
Uncommon*CollaboraAon?*

67. 67*
“Success*is*ConAnuously**Evolving*
Support*and*Discovery”*
*
(Pal*Singh,2014)***