Cocoa is one of the most important cash crops in West Africa. Due to a lack of alternatives and in order to generate an income for the family, an area is often cleared and then as many cocoa trees as possible are planted on the piece of land. After a few years of intensive cultivation, the nutrient reserves in the soil are exhausted and a high use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides is necessary. In Ghana, conventional cocoa cultivation is responsible for the deforestation of 25% of the rainforest.