Question

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows.

For over a century, cocoa production across West Africa’s forest zone has served as a cornerstone of rural livelihoods and national export revenue. However, the agricultural model that sustained this growth—predominantly full-sun monoculture—is encountering severe environmental limits. By clearing native canopy trees to maximize short-term solar exposure and yield, intensive cultivation has accelerated soil degradation, increased vulnerability to cocoa swollen shoot virus, and intensified local microclimate warming. In response, environmental agronomists are advocating for a systemic transition toward cocoa agroforestry, an approach that integrates shade trees alongside cocoa plants to mimic natural forest ecosystems. Although shade-grown cocoa typically yields smaller harvests during the initial years of planting, its long-term benefits are substantial. The canopy trees regulate ambient temperatures, buffer crops against severe droughts, replenish soil nutrients through leaf-litter decomposition, and provide habitat for vital pollinators and natural pest predators. Furthermore, shade trees offer farmers diversified income streams through harvestable fruits and timber, hedging against global commodity price volatility. Critics argue that immediate income losses deter smallholder farmers from adopting agroforestry techniques. Nevertheless, agricultural economists maintain that without transitioning to shade-grown models, West Africa risks widespread land abandonment as degraded monoculture plots become unviable under changing climatic conditions. Ultimately, the long-term survival of the region's cocoa sector depends not on maximizing seasonal yields, but on establishing ecologically resilient farming systems that preserve soil vitality and farmer livelihoods.

Which of the following best synthesizes the central argument presented in the passage?