Tree farming investments and implications to carbon storage in Bukoba district, Tanzania
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Date
2024-05
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The current contribution of farm trees in solving wood related
problems and income generation to smallholders in developing
countries is unquestionable. However, the factors influencing
households‟ decisions to invest in tree planting and the amount of
carbon stored in agroforestry systems in many areas remain to be
site and time specific and not clearly understood. The study aimed at
assessing the factors influencing household decisions to invest in
tree planting and implications to soil organic carbon storage in
Bukoba district, Tanzania.
A total of 80 households (40 with and 40 without woodlots) were
randomly selected in four villages and questionnaires were applied
for data collection. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics
and binary logit regression. In the other hand, random sampling
technique was used to select 32 homegarden and 32 woodlot farms.
In farm sampling plots of 5m x 5m were established and two soil
samples per plot were extracted, one from a depth 0-15cm and
another from 15-30cm. A total of 128 composite soil samples were
collected for laboratory analysis. The Walkley – Black procedures for
Soil sample analysis was applied.
The study‟s results showed that household land size, the age of the
household head, accessibility to loan and credit services, availability
of land not suitable for crop production, and education level of the
household head, significantly (P<0.05) influenced households‟
decisions to invest in tree planting. Sex of the household head,
market availability, land ownership and risk perception had no
influence (P<0.05) on the decisions of the household to invest in
woodlot farming. Furthermore, the results revealed that woodlots
significantly (P<0.5) stored higher soil organic carbon content (125.2
ton/ha) compared to the homegarden agroforestry (96.8 ton/ha) in
general. The knowledge created in this study is essential for policy makers
and implementers to come out with appropriate agricultural
approaches, which will have multi impacts economically, socially and
environmentally.
Description
MSc. Ecosystem Sciences and Management
Keywords
Tree farming investments, Tree farming investments, Bukoba district, Tanzania