Farming System and Agricultural Production among Small Farmers in the Uluguru Mountain Area, Morogoro Region, Tanzania

Abstract

A farming systems approach is used to explain the problems of small scale farmers in the Uluguru Mountain Area in Morogoro region, Tanzania. A survey, involving 60 small farmers selected at random, was conducted by means of questionnaires, discussions as well as field observations. It was revealed that although farmers in this area practice a variety of cropping systems partly taken over the know-how of the older shifting type of cultivation, and considered more appropriate to deal with the farming problems in this mountainous area, agricultural production is declining sharply because current cultural practices have failed to keep up with the changes occurring in the area.