Beyond the farm : a new look at livelihood constraints in the Eastern African Highlands

Abstract

Throughout the highlands of eastern Africa, farming communities face critical challenges in providing for an ever-growing population while maintaining the productivity of the resource base. Most research and extension programs have approached this problem by focusing on the alleviation of farm-level productivity constraints, largely through technological solutions. There is a strong push within national and international arenas to move toward broader units of analysis and intervention, with the aim of enhancing the sustainability of rural livelihoods as well as environmental services emanating from highland areas. Yet little treatment has been given to the issue of farmer motivations for thinking and acting beyond the farm level. Outcomes of a participatory assessment of landscape-level problems of concern to highland farmers of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania shed light on this question and point to contributions that can be made from research and development to support farmers and communities in addressing identified challenges.