Three planting and household food security: the case of the Shouthern Highlands of Tanzania
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mkuki na Nyota Publishers Ltd
Abstract
Large-scale investment in land in Sub Saharan Africa has been well
documented (Cotula et al., 2009; Fairhead et al., 2012; German et al.,
2013). Since independence, tree plantations in Tanzania had gone
through undulating phases (Van den Berg et al., 2013; MNRT, 2014;
PFP, 2016; Held et al., 2017; Kimambo et al., 2020)concern for forest
loss has spurred ambitious restoration goals for climatic, ecological, and
livelihood bene!ts. Restoration activities typically rely on governmentled or large-scale tree planting. A narrow focus on top-down initiatives
could promote the recentralization of forestry activities and overlook
important contributions by smallholders, especially in Africa.
Smallholder tree planting activities are harder to track than institutional
e"orts. Here we quantify the extent of tree planting on smallholder
woodlots in southern and eastern Tanzania, in comparison to large-scale plantations. In Google Earth Pro, we digitized all woodlots in
randomly selected areas, and estimated woodlots’ area, distribution, and
expansion rate. We found that by year 2018, woodlots in the smallest
size class (< 1 Ha. Promotion of tree planting by donor funded projects
has been focusing on environmental aspects such as carbon trading
(Lasco, 2008, MNRT, 2010; Vainio-Matilla, 2011, Kimambo et al., 2020).
Furthermore, the dominance of the sector by the state during the 1970s
and 1980s was primarily focused on the establishment of large-scale tree
plantations in the Southern Highlands (Pedersen, 2017)37. Nevertheless,
for a long period of time, tree plantations in the Southern Highlands
of Tanzania has been done by public plantations and big commercial
private companies for timber and other commercial purposes (PFP,
2016). A study done by PFP found that Tanzania experienced a reduction
in government managed plantations particularly in the supply of mature
pine round wood logs (PFP, 2016). It indicated a reduction of 30%
(total 540,300 m#) in government allocations from 2014/15 to 2015/16
harvesting season whereas number of bene!ciaries for allocations
increased from 832 to 964 respectively.
Description
Book chapter pp. 213-230