Biochar may contribute to both agricultural productivity and atmospheric carbon dioxide removal. However, despite the many potential upsides of adding biochar to amend carbon-depleted soils in sub-Saharan Africa, deployment is largely lacking. This paper explores the socio-economic factors that can explain tendencies to avoid action. Based on a survey of 172 farming households, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions in the Mbeya and Songwe regions of Tanzania, which were targeted for a biochar aid program in 2014, several socio-economic drivers behind the continued use of biochar deployment were identified in this follow-up study. A key deployment driver was the increased crop yields, perceived to be the result of adding biochar to soils, increasing yields from 1 metric ton per hectare to 3 metric tons per hectare. Food security and family income were cited as the main reasons to engage in biochar production and use. Climate change mitigation and increased resilience were other key reasons that motivated adoption. In terms of socio-economic factors, farmers with low education and income, the majority being males aged 40–60 years, contributed to low adoption rates in the study area. Respondents often cited the alternative usage of biochar feedstocks, lack of government involvement or extension services, traditions, and farming customs as the main constraints limiting biochar deployment.

Climate change and variability are happening in Tanzania, and their impacts are felt in the socioeconomic sectors, as they have resulted in the decline of agricultural productivity and increased deforestation. This study assessed the actual changes in deforestation levels and improved livelihoods caused by the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices. Data were collected through semi-structured household questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informants, GIS tools, and observations. Quantitative data were analyzed using Arc GIS 10.3 software, SPSS version 16.0, and Excel Spreadsheet, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis techniques. The findings show that farmers' livelihoods have improved and also deforestation levels decreased as a result of increased adoption of CSA during the past 30 years. Deforestation levels have been reduced from 64.6 ha per year during 1985–1995 to 11.8 ha per year during 1995–2005 and to 10.4 ha per year during 2005–2017. Further findings showed that the agricultural area had been decreased from 4,534 ha in 1995 to 4,039 ha in 2017, which is evidence that after the scale-up of CSA from the year 1992, agricultural practices were not contributing much to deforestation, while increased crop production and income were observed, which in turn supported farmers in enhancing food security, purchasing production tools, livestock, and payment for medical services, school fees, and construction of modern houses. We found that adoption of CSA systems such as agroforestry (i.e., agrisilviculture) is very crucial for improving farmer's livelihoods and reducing deforestation. Therefore, farmers need close mentoring on climate-resilient agroforestry systems, such as agrisilviculture.