Cabruca

A cabruca is a specific type of cacao farm in which tree cover is preserved to provide shade.

The government of Brazil defines a cabruca as a "cocoa cultivation system that exists under the protection of at least 40 native Atlantic Forest trees that grow intermittently and are surrounded by native vegetation." The state of Bahia requires only 20 native Atlantic Forest trees per hectare. About 60 percent of the cocoa production in Bahia takes place on cabruca farms.

Ecological significance

Many forest-dwelling species that otherwise require closed-canopy habitat can survive on cabrucas. For example, several types of tree-dwelling frogs have been found on cabrucas.

References

  1. 1 2 "Back to the future: Brazilian federal bill re-discovers sustainable cabruca cocoa bean production". confectionerynews.com. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
  2. ↑ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group; Instituto Boitatá de Etnobiologia e Conservação da Fauna (2023). "Gastrotheca recava". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T78500974A86255783. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T78500974A86255783.en. Retrieved September 27, 2026.
  3. ↑ Teixeira Jr M; Dal Vechio F; Recoder RS; Carnaval AC; Strangas M; Damasceno RP; De Sena MA; Rodrigues MT (2012). "Two new species of marsupial tree-frogs genus Gastrotheca Fitzinger, 1843 (Anura, Hemiphractidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest". Zootaxa (Full text). 3437: 1–23. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3437.1.1. Retrieved September 27, 2026.