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Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate agroforestry adoption by smallholder farmers in Gutu District, Zimbabwe. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology was based on field data collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and direct observations. Findings: Major findings reveal that traditional agroforestry was common in the study area. There were no cases of innovative agroforestry other than dwindling remnants from a former trees-with-pasture project. Majority of respondents were willing to adopt innovative agroforestry technologies to improve yields and income. Damage and destruction of plants by pests and animals due to lack of fences emerged as the major challenges to the adoption of agroforestry. Other challenges included seed availability and labour requirements. Possible coping strategies, identified through consulting farmers and other stakeholders, would include local initiatives and support from outside the community. Local and external efforts are required especially to secure inputs and raise awareness, knowledge and skills with respect to specific agroforestry technologies. Practical Implications: The paper presents pointers on the involvement of women in agroforestry and on the cultural significance of indigenous and exotic fruit trees. It provides practical lessons useful to extension or rural development workers in a localised set-up. Originality/Value: The case study gives an insight into the problems faced by peasant farmers and the requirements to make agroforestry successful. Practitioners in southern Africa could learn a great deal about issues relating to smallholder farmers from reading this paper. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)

We tested whether cultivation and fallowing have any significant effect on tree species diversity and dominance in semi-arid Zimbabwe. To this end, we quantified tree species diversity and physiognomy on two soil types ( mutapo and bandati) stratified into three land-use categories, i.e., cultivated land, fallow land and woodland. Results showed that tree species diversity was significantly different on the two soil types. Tree species diversity was high on bandati soil and low on mutapo soil. Results also showed that there was significant difference in tree species diversity among the three land-use categories on mutapo soil but no differences on bandati soil. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in species diversity between paired categories on mutapo soil but no significant differences on bandati soil. Tree physiognomy was significantly different among all three land use categories. Colophospermum mopane and Diospyros kirkii were the dominant species within woodlands, while Acacia tortilis subsp. spirocarpa replaced them as the dominant species within the fallow land category. These results indicate that woodland conversion for cultivation purposes has no immediate significant effect on tree species diversity on bandati soil, while it has a pronounced effect on mutapo soil, at least in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]