Effects of Market Contracts on Agroecological Implementation Intensity in Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Production Systems: Evidence from Smallholder Farmers in the Mbam and Kim Division, Cameroon

Abstract

Market contracts are increasingly used to channel sustainability standards to smallholder cocoa farmers, yet their effect on agroecological practice is poorly documented. This study assessed how formal written market contracts (MCs) influence the intensity of agroecological implementation among smallholder cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) farmers in the Mbam and Kim Division, Cameroon. A household survey of 120 farmers in four villages combined purposive, village-stratified and snowball sampling; 61 farmers held written contracts and 59 did not. Implementation was measured with a weighted Agroecological Implementation Index (AEII), scored from 0 to 4 across seven selected principles defined by the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE). Contract farmers had larger farms and more formal education. They scored higher on soil health (t = 4.98, p < 0.001) and input reduction (t = 3.23, p = 0.002), but not on biodiversity, synergy, economic diversification, recycling or social equity. The mean AEII was 1.56 for contract farmers and 1.14 for non-contract farmers (p < 0.001); both groups remained at the level of partial adoption. Qualitative evidence indicated that cooperative–private partnerships with certification clauses and training were the contract type most likely to drive auditable practices. The absence of a price premium for sustainably produced cocoa was the main barrier to wider uptake. Contracts can support a fuller agroecological transition only if they are redesigned to reward equity, fair remuneration and farmer-centred knowledge systems.