Paper short abstract:

This paper dicusses the complexity of forest conservation and agricultural intensification in Zambia's agro-industrial Mkushi cluster. It uses quantitative data to analyze an incentive-based conservation program with regard to its effects of deforestation and livelihoods among small-scale farmers.

Paper long abstract:

Deforestation is a major environmental issue in rural Africa that has significant consequences for local communities and global ecosystems. In Zambia's agro-industrial Mkushi cluster, deforestation is widely debated as an immediate issue of small- and large-scale farmers' competition over labour, resources and especially land. Today, agricultural intensification is hence seen as main driver of rapid deforestation in Mkushi. Deforestation is most salient in the cluster's uphill forests - or the most important water catchment of the region. Despite its conservation status, farmers seek to expand their production into these forest areas.

In this paper, I use quantitative household data to explore the effects of an incentive-based conservation program with regard to deforestation trends as well as small-scale farmers’ livelihoods. The results suggest that locally adapted conservation farming can promote more sustainable agricultural practices and less deforestation in the region whilst also ensuring a significant improvement of livelihoods among farmers.