An economic analysis of traditional agroforestry systems in Mhonda village, Tanzania
Maximillian, J.R|Kaonekana, A.R|Monela, G.C / 2000

This study was carried out in Mhonda village on the southern slope of Nguru mountains Morogoro. The purpose of this study is to analyse the economic potential of agroforestry systems vis-a-vis other farming systems in Mhonda village. The main hypothesis is that agroforestry is more profitable in a sense that it utilizes more efficiently the available resources than other farming systems. Due to constant increase in population, agroforestry is likely to be the most efficient alternative land use towards satisfying social and material needs of local population.The study involve random sampling of 344 households using structured and semi-structured questionnaire. Parameters associated agroforestry were measured, viz., inputs (costs) and output (revenues). These were compared with monoculture. Economic analysis of the data collected from the village was conducted by using cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and return to labour criteria.The results of the analysis indicate that agroforestry, as a farming system is more profitable than other farming using both NPV and return to labour criteria. The system uses low market inputs while producing various outputs on a sustainable basis. Moreover, agroforestry has the potential to solve or at least ameriolate some of the land - use constraints confronting local/rural population.