Understanding farmers’ choices in climate-smart agriculture: adoption of agroecology principles and impacts on rural livelihoods in semi-arid Tanzania

This study explores climate-smart agriculture (CSA) adoption and the application of agroecology (AE) principles among Tanzanian smallholders, using a survey of 315 households (HHs). Findings reveal that most CSA adopters integrate several AE principles, though application varies by CSA practices. Socioeconomic factors, like HH head, HH size, land ownership, training access, CSA interventions, and local initiatives, influence and shape adoption patterns. Integrating different CSA practices improves alignment with AE principles, increasing farm income and creating ecological-economic synergies. Highlighting CSA’s and AE’s potential to enhance smallholder livelihoods and mitigate climate change, the study stresses horizontal knowledge sharing in promoting integrated approaches.