AGROFORESTRY IN MBOKOMU WARD IN KILIMANJARO REGION, TANZANIA: ITS ADVANTAGES, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

This paper presents the findings of the study that analyzed advantages, challenges and prospects of agroforestry in Mbokomu ward in Kilimanjaro region. Several studies have been done in different part of the Tanzania, but none in Mbokomu ward to ascertain advantages, challenges and prospects of agroforestry. The main objective of this article is to examing the impacts of agroforestry on livelihoods and environment. Both primary and secondary data were collected. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, direct observations and documentary review. The questionnaires were administered to a sample of 90 respodents from three villages which are Tema, Korini Juu and Korini Kusini. Data were analysed using descriptive (content) analysis and MS Excel. The findings proved that agroforestry provides food, income, building materials, fodder, firewood and employment. Agroforestry also provides indirect benefits such shade, regulate climate, attract rainfall, and regulate moisture in the soil. However, the findings shows that future of agroforestry is not simple to predict because the most energetic youth and adult who could improve agroforestry have migrated to urban areas looking color jobs, only women and old people are left in rural areas. The study recommends that, rural people should be empowered through education, provided with credits, stable market and price of their produce. If these are done, people could be attracted to live and stay in rural areas.