Sustainable agricultural intensification: the role of cardamom agroforestry in the East Usambaras, Tanzania

Abstract

The East Usambaras in Tanzania are a tropical biodiversity hotspot where current agricultural management practices pose threats to forest conservation and development objectives. Promoting sustainable agricultural intensification (SAI) would improve long-term productivity and reduce pressure on forest reserves. The study objective was to identify household-level characteristics that influence adoption of improved management practices, specifically soil replenishment practices, in order to identify opportunities and constraints to scaling up SAI to landscape level. First, three common farming systems and a fourth agroforestry (AF) model were developed to estimate the relative profitability of incorporating fallow, manure, and non-timber forest product activities. Next, household surveys were conducted and a logistic regression analysis was used to measure the influence of socioeconomic characteristics, physical and financial assets, tenure security, and plotspecific attributes on adoption of soil replenishment practices that were specified in the model. Findings showed that the AF model was financially competitive but raises opportunity costs to labour when compared to common systems. Marital status, household size, remittances, credit access, and tenure security significantly influenced adoption of fallow and applying organic inputs. Significant plot-specific attributes included perceived fertility and distance from the homestead. Policies to scale up SAI should consider these factors and emphasize improving markets for AF species and extension services.

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Recently, Bullock et al (2013) measured the influence of socio-economic characteristics, physical and financial assets, tenure security and plot-specific attributes on the adoption of soil replenishment practices in cardamom agroforestry systems in the East Usambaras in Tanzania. A logistic regression analysis showed that marital status, household size, remittances, credit access and tenure security significantly affected the adoption of fallows and the application of organic inputs.…”

Is Sustainable Intensification Pro-Poor? Evidence from Small-Scale Farmers in Rural Tanzania

“…Age plays a role for mulching and intercropping especially; indicating on the one hand that older farmers might be more risk-averse or less progressive in the uptake of innovative farming practices [14]. On the other hand it can be a proxy for the years the farm already settled on the same land, i.e., inducing an increased time of nutrient mining and thus increased requirement for investments into soil conservation [21]. A higher rate of time preference is positively related to mulching and indicates that the farmer is generally giving consumption now a higher value than future consumption [17].…”

“…They are better prepared and more willing to take a risk [21]. Smallholder farmers with few resources are likely to be highly risk-averse due to uncertainty [23].…”

“…An increased portfolio of plots increases crop diversity and the fertility and thus productivity of the soil through a higher likelihood to leave a plot fallow from time to time or to apply mulch or crop rotation [21]. A slope is not the preferred location for farmers to do agricultural activities, but the less endowed farmers might depend on it or do not have so many options of getting better quality land parcels.…”

Conventional, Partially Converted and Environmentally Friendly Farming in South Korea: Profitability and Factors Affecting Farmers’ Choice

“…The age of farmers plays a significant role on the farmer's decision regarding conversion because younger farmers are expected to be more progressive and accepting of new farming techniques relative to older farmers [22,47]. The level of education is considered as an influencing factor.…”