the consensus from when this article was previously posted was a rather resounding “No”

The article isn’t really clear about this, but carob is NOT suitable for the wet climates in which cacao is often grown. It would be planted in dry regions that are unsuitable for most other crops.

Cacao monocultures are destroying the rainforest, mainly in West Africa and in the Amazon, and people aren’t even eating the fruit. Even where I live, I’ve seen forest slashed and burnt for the production of this fungicide-intensive crop, and I’ve seen heaps of shells and pulp left to ferment while people process the seeds. If the cacao industry collapses due to climate change (caused partly by the same deforestation to which the industry contributes), then I say good riddance. Keep your stimulant habit out of my jungle…

Carob shares exactly one attribute with chocolate: it is brown.