Small-holder farmers in rural Tanzania can improve food security and their wellbeing by adopting agroecological practices, new research funded by UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund has shown.
Small-holder farmers in rural Tanzania can improve food security and their wellbeing by adopting agroecological practices, new research funded by UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund has shown.
Led by Newcastle University, the study reveals that agroecological practices, such as agroforestry, have a variety of positive impacts, with significant improvements for the material indicators, such as financial savings, land area and household assets. Another area with strong positive links to agroecological practices is security, which includes providing for dependents, security from theft and a higher number of different livelihood-generating activities.
The research team conducted 467 household surveys in rural Tanzania and found that most farmers applied at least one agroecological practice in their farms. The most common agroecological practices were mulching, intercropping, and post-harvest use of residues.
Published in the journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development, the findings show that a transition to more ecological farming can have positive impact on human well-being, even if that transition complements rather than fully replaces conventional farming. The research also highlights the importance of fundamental technical training and capacity building of smallholder farmers for the uptake of sustainable agricultural practices.
Read more at Newcastle University
Image: A farmer on a field in Tanzania (Credit: Dr. Marion Pfeifer)
