The cocoa pollination research team of the VUB’s Biology Department kindly invites you to a series of short lectures by international cocoa experts providing an integrated overview of different challenges related to the sustainable production of one of the most important global tropical cash crops.
Blog
Launch of Beyond Chocolate Initiative
On December 5th a large partnership including the main players in the Belgian Chocolate industry, government branches, ngo's and academic institutions have signed the Beyond Chocolate charter. From the conception of the intiative our research group has provided scientific advice to contribute to making this possible. Even now at this early stage, the initiative has… Continue reading Launch of Beyond Chocolate Initiative
New paper: exploring the potential of bromeliads as sources of cacao pollinators
In a new paper, VUB researchers (Mathil Vandromme, Hendrik Trekels and Bram Vanschoenwinkel) and CATIE researchers (Norvin Sepúlveda Ruiz and Eduardo Somarriba) report the presence of cacao pollinators in bromeliad plants and identify factors that influence their abundances. Bromeliads are common plants in the Neotropics. Being epiphytic, they are often incorrectly considered as parasites and removed from agroforestry systems.… Continue reading New paper: exploring the potential of bromeliads as sources of cacao pollinators
Launch Barcoding for Chocolate project
Barcoding For Chocolate (BFC) Cacao is one of the most profitable crops for farmers in developing countries in the tropics. Yet despite its widespread cultivation the relationship between cacao and the crucial insects that carry the pollen from flower to flower, enabling the trees to produce the precious cocoa beans, remains shrouded in mystery. A… Continue reading Launch Barcoding for Chocolate project
Cacao Pollination (CACPOL) 