Changing landscapes on the southern slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

This case study on the traditional Chagga homegarden system on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the adjacent plains in northern Tanzania was undertaken as part of a project ‘Socio-ecologic dynamics of land use change on East-African highlands’. To map and analyse changes in the landscape an aerial photo interpretation was conducted covering approximately the Kirua Vunjo Division, a transect of 152 sq km from the forest reserve edge to the plains. The study looked at land use in 1961, 1982 and 2000. Earlier changes were traced from an extensive literature review. Results of the photo interpretation were further processed in a fragmentation analysis. The results show the expansion of cultivation to more marginal land down the slope, the disappearance and extreme fragmentation of natural bush land and appearance and expansion of settlements. The homegarden area has experienced some specific internal change, but has not expanded down the slope. In the 1960s there was still space for small open fields and patches of grazing lands in the homegarden area. In 1980s the area has more closed canopy. Since then the area has become patched again, as due to population growth new homesteads have been built on subdivided farms and more food is produced on the higher slopes. Severe population pressure and the ensuing land use intensification have caused changes in the environment reflecting back to farmers’ livelihoods. In addition, low coffee price in the world market has rendered the traditional Chagga coffee-banana system unprofitable. As land scarcity now hinders expansion of agriculture, common land for free resources is scarce, and prices of coffee in the world market continue being low, farmers are trying to find options for more intensified and diversified production. Off-farm activities have become increasingly crucial.

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