Assessment of agroforestry potential in environmental conservation and poverty reduction in rural Tanzania: a case of Lushoto district

This study aimed at investigating the factors that influence agroforestry and its impact to poverty reduction and environmental conservation in Lushoto District. Data were collected through household interviews, focus group discussion and through non-participant observation. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 165 respondents. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) whereby descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed based on their contents. The finding from this study showed that agroforestry has huge potential in environmental conservation and poverty reduction by contributing to raising household income, ensuring of food security, providing medicine, supporting ecosystem functions such as improving soil fertility, conservation of water, sustainability of firewood as well as availability of animal fodders. However, the potentiality of the system is constrained by inadequate awareness, poverty of the household, lack of modern farm inputs as well as underdeveloped human resource, infrastructure and institutional capacity for agroforestry development. Provision of education to the farmers on how to participate in agroforestry, improved farmers access to credit and comprehensive extension, establishment of strong farmers’ organisations and equal rights to resources and decision-making are needed to enhance sustainability and farmer adoption of agroforestry practices. These aspects need a concerted effort by key stakeholders, including the government, the local population and NGOs.