The potentials of agroforestry systems in east Africa: a case of the eastern arc mountains of Tanzania
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Date
2017
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Publisher
SCIENCEDOMAIN international
Abstract
The optimization of crop yields and environmental services need a proper selection and adoption of
sustainable farming systems. Agroforestry is a farming system which involves the integration of
trees and crops in the same plot. It is a climate-smart environmental conservation system that aims
at increasing crop yields as well as environmental services. The Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) of
Tanzania, which cover Usambara and Uluguru Mountains, have a significant potential for
agroforestry. They are characterized by potential biophysical resources such as fluvial, vertisol and
xerosols soils with the annual rainfall exceeding 1200mm per year. We reviewed over 40 peer
reviewed publications to assess the ecological significance of the agroforestry system in the EAM
with clear focus on Usambara and Uluguru Mountains and found that the agroforestry system has been in practice on a small scale for a couple of years. The agroforestry has significantly increased
crop yields by 50% in few areas where it is practised and has protected the environment by
improving soil fertility, enabling the carbon sequestration and protecting water resources. As a
result, this study recommends further researches on the same to reveal its potential in improving
the conditions of small-scale farmers in East and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 14(3): 1-11,
Keywords
Agroforestry, Climate change, Tanzania, East Africa