Participatory appraisal for farm-level soil and water conservation planning in West Usambara highlands, Tanzania

Soil and water conservation (SWC) measures are needed to control soil erosion and sustain agricultural production on the steep slopes of Usambara Mountains. The need for SWC has resulted in the development and promotion of several SWC measures by both governmental and non-governmental programmes. However, there is limited information on their physical effectiveness and financial efficiency to convince farmers to invest in SWC. Furthermore, farmers¿ preferences and the socio-economic factors that influence the adoption of SWC measures have not been adequately considered. As a result, the adoption of many recommended SWC measures is minimal and soil erosion continues to be a problem. This research explored the socio-economic reasons for low adoption of SWC measures in the West Usambara highlands in Tanzania. The research generated both biophysical and socio-economic information that was used to improve the current SWC planning approach. Major SWC measures used in the West Usambara highlands were then appraised using the improved participatory approaches that integrated the physical effectiveness and financial efficiency of the SWC measures and other socio-economic factors of the land users.