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Cacao Research History
11 Jun 2026
A paper by Carolina Bonilla published in the journal Agricultural History focuses on the historical development of cacao science in
Colombia, highlighting the role of British plant pathologist Frederick J. Pound, based in Trinidad. Pound’s Amazon expeditions in the late 1930s uncovered cacao variability through searches for disease-resistant trees. His later work in Colombia supported cacao research and development, highlighting tensions between production and market demands while illustrating how international networks modernized cacao science during Green Revolution debates worldwide.