Two major systems dominate cocoa production; a full-sun monocropping system where the cocoa crop is grown without shade trees, and an agroforestry system where cocoa is grown with deliberately planted or retained forest/fruit trees. Aside soil fertility and genotype influences on cocoa production, pests and diseases, and climatic conditions are major determinants of cocoa yields and sustainability. Decades of chemical applications to control cocoa pests and diseases have undermined environmental integrity and increased production costs. The situation is likely to worsen under current and future scenarios of climate change and its negative impact on agricultural productivity. However, choosing the right shade trees for agroforestry adoption is one identified strategy with carbon sequestration potential and the ability to minimize the influence of increased temperatures and reduced rainfall. Though cocoa under shade trees has many advantages, it is unclear if shade tree species differ in effects on yields, soil fertility, and pests and diseases infestation. Previous studies have reported farmers’ perceptions and willingness to adopt certain tree species in cocoa-agroforestry. However, there is little or no explicit scientific knowledge on the influence of specific shade tree species impacting cocoa production. Owing to that, this study evaluated the effects of different agroforestry shade tree species on cocoa yield and soil fertility. It also determined the impacts of agroforestry on black pod disease and mirid infestations in cocoa systems as well as the assessment of agroforestry and climate effects on cocoa yield across a climate gradient in Ghana. Using 74 plots in 10 cocoa farms in the Western Region of Ghana, yields and soil fertility as influenced by eight (8) identified commonly retained forest shade tree species against no-shade control plots were examined during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 crop seasons. Yield was measured as the total number of matured cocoa pods counted per hectare at harvest, and the total dry weight of extracted cocoa beans in kilogram per hectare during two main crop and two light crop periods. Soil from 0 - 30cm depths from all plots was sampled and tested for acidity (pH), concentrations of nitrogen (N), carbon (C), available phosphorus (P), magnesium ion (Mg 2+), calcium ions (Ca2+) and sodium (Na+) before and at the end of the study using standard methods. Using linear mixed effect models, yields were found to be significantly higher in shaded plots than in unshaded control plots. There was no significant differences on yield between the shade tree species. Yields in Terminalia superba, Khaya ivorensis and Cedrela odorata plots were more than 150 kg ha-1yr-1 higher than yields in the no-shaded control plots which was at 303 kg ha-1yr-1. Apart from available P which was lower under shade trees than in control plots, the other soil properties did not differ significantly. The occurrences of mirids were counted, as were the number of cocoa pods damaged by mirids and black pod disease monthly for the two years. On-farm temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity were measured using standard methods. Logistic regression with nested random effects, and mixed effect models were used to determine variability in shade species influence on mirid population and damaged pods, respectively. Mirid populations varied between species and over time, with no consistent high and low periods. Triplochiton scleroxylon and Alstonia boonei had highest and lowest mirid occurrences compared with unshaded control plots, respectively. Pod damages due to mirid also varied with season, and species contrary to pod damages resulting from black pod disease which did not vary significantly with species. On-farm monthly fluctuations in temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity corresponded with fluctuations in mirid populations and the respective pod damages from mirid feeding and black pod infestation. The choice of shade tree species for adoption in cocoa-agroforestry systems are critical as they affect yield and soil P. The right selection of species could be a strategic tool in the management control of mirid impacts and black pod disease in cocoa agroforestry systems. In a 4-year (2016 – 2020) experiment, two aspects of cocoa productions; thus, cocoa health, and productivity, along a gradient of high rainfall/low temperature in the south to low rainfall/high temperature in the north of Ghana’s cocoa belt were assessed. Twenty-three (23) cocoa farms cultivated on previous forest lands along the gradient were used, with systematic selection of 460 cocoa trees (20 per farm) from the south (N = 160), middle (N = 180), and north (N = 120) of the cocoa belts. The selected trees varied in girth but similar in distance to the nearest shade tree. Each cocoa trees were inspected and ranked monthly for tree vigor, canopy health, flower intensity, and the number of damaged pods due to mirids, cocoa shield bugs, and black pod disease as indicators of cocoa health. Counts of healthy young, matured and harvested cocoa pods, and dry weight of cocoa beans were evaluated as parameters for productivity. Temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity for each region was monitored and found to influence cocoa health and productivity differently. Ordinal logistic regression analysis showed variation in flower intensity and canopy health along the gradient, while linear mixed effect model analysis of the productivity indicators showed differences at p > 0.05. Cocoa outputs were highest in the south at annual 0.84 ± 0.14kg dry beans per cocoa tree, against 0.77 ± 0.04kg dry beans and 0.60 ± 0.04kg dry beans per cocoa tree in the middle and north respectively. Insect pest infestation was highest in the north where temperature was highest with the least rainfall at 2.8 ± 0.01 infested pods per cocoa tree. Black pod disease infestation was similar and prevalent in the south and middle at 0.05 pods per cocoa tree compared to 0.3 pods per cocoa tree in the north. Rainfall and relative humidity were seen to offset the effects of temperature and agroforestry impacts in the cocoa systems through their influence on soil water provision and nutrient availability along the gradient. In all, cocoa cultivation in forest regions with higher rainfall and amidst shade trees are likely to produce healthier and much productive cocoa trees. Further studies are however needed to guide cocoa production, and the aspect of shade tree inclusion and regulations as components of cocoa-agroforestry especially under current changing climate situations in tropical regions to enhance the sustainability of cocoa yields.