A review of coffee-banana based cropping systems in Tanzania: the economics.

The coffee-banana based cropping system is the most widespread farming practice characteristic in the Kilimanjaro region Mbeya, Kagera and Arusha areas of Tanzania. The benefits to adopting this system versus a pure coffee system, is that it offers higher returns to the smallholder. On average, farm sizes featuring coffee-banana interplanting are about 3 acres, with banana being the main subsistence crop and coffee a subsidiary cash crop. In the past few years, lower coffee prices have caused many farmers to neglect their coffee in favor of banana, significantly reducing the revenue potential of their farms. High production costs, especially in controlling coffee berry disease and coffee leaf rust have further eroded coffee’s profitability to farmers.