Plantain

Musa × paradisiaca

Role: Temporary shade provider and early income crop

Spacing: 3m x 3m, planted next to cocoa

Benefits: Harvest within 8-12 months; provides critical temporary shade for young cocoa seedlings in first 2-4 years; adds organic matter to soil when chopped and left as mulch; improves moisture retention

Planting notes: Plant one sucker to the west of each newly planted cocoa tree. Cut base bulb from a side sucker, not a water shoot. Once cocoa is established and needs more light, prune plantain back regularly. Maintain through cut and regrow system.