Project Report
Project Lead/Researchers:
Shawn Dorius, associate professor, Sociology & Demography
Sydney Etten, graduate researcher, Graduate Program for Sustainable Agriculture
A new research initiative at Iowa State University is exploring how sustainable cocoa farming in Uganda intersects with public health. The project, Sustainable Agriculture in the Context of High Burden of Disease: A One Health Approach, focuses on the Kumuli District, where cocoa farming is rapidly expanding.
Cocoa, often intercropped with bananas and legumes, is a valuable cash crop that supports household needs such as school fees for children. However, post-harvest practices—particularly the disposal of cocoa pod husks (CPH)—may unintentionally increase malaria risk by creating stagnant water habitats for mosquitoes.
The ISU team will conduct on-farm assessments, interviews, and focus groups to understand how farmers manage CPH and what barriers exist to adopting safer, more sustainable methods. The research is grounded in the One Health framework, which links human, animal, and environmental health.
With Uganda facing high rates of communicable and vector-borne diseases, this study aims to identify farming practices that support both ecological sustainability and community well-being. The findings will inform future training and outreach efforts by ISU’s Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods.