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Two weeks ago, we explored the history and beauty of the Chagga people’s kihamba homegardens on Mount Kilimanjaro. This week, we look ahead — to see how this tradition is evolving in a changing world.

For the Chagga people of Mount Kilimanjaro, farming isn’t just work — it’s a legacy. The kihamba homegarden system has been carefully refined over centuries to make the most of the mountain’s fertile soils and abundant streams. But even the most resilient traditions must adapt.

Climate change is altering the rhythm of life on the mountain. Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are affecting banana yields, coffee quality, and vegetable harvests. Soil fertility is declining, and land scarcity is pushing farmers to rethink how they use every square meter.

The response? Innovation rooted in tradition. Farmers are planting pulse crops that naturally enrich the soil, fruit trees to provide shade, and high-density trees to help retain moisture. Livestock is becoming an additional income source. And with the help of government and NGO programs, many are learning new planting methods, using better seed varieties, and integrating modern techniques into traditional systems.

Some Chagga farmers are also exploring tourism — inviting visitors to walk their gardens, taste traditional banana-based dishes, and see the centuries-old water channels in action. On the Baba Yangu tour, you’ll have the chance to step into a kihamba, speak directly with the people who tend it, and see how climate challenges are being met with resilience and creativity.

This isn’t just sightseeing — it’s sharing a moment in the ongoing story of Mount Kilimanjaro’s communities. And for the Chagga, it’s a way to keep their heritage alive while building a sustainable future.

Sources & Further Reading

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2017). ‘Kihamba’ – Chaga home gardens on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro [Video]. Watch here
• Hemp, A. (2006). The banana forests of Kilimanjaro: biodiversity and conservation of the Chagga homegardens. Biodiversity & Conservation, 15(4), 1193–1217.
• Silayo, V., & Pikirayi, I. (2023). Community-based approaches in the construction and management of water infrastructures among the Chagga, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Land, 12(3).
• Soini, E. (2005). Changing livelihoods on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: Challenges and opportunities in the Chagga homegarden system. Agroforestry Systems, 64(2), 157–167.

High on the fertile slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Chagga people have cultivated an ingenious farming tradition for centuries — the kihamba homegarden system. At first glance, a kihamba might look like a lush tangle of greenery, but look closer and you’ll see a carefully layered design: towering timber and firewood trees, shady banana plants, coffee trees, and a vibrant patchwork of vegetables.

This is more than just farming — it’s a living heritage. For generations, Chagga families have managed shared irrigation networks carved from mountain rivers, ensuring every household has access to water. These furrows, built with remarkable engineering skill, were once governed by local chiefdoms who appointed elders to oversee fair distribution.

Today, kihamba plots feed families, sustain local economies, and stand as a testament to environmental stewardship. Bananas, maize, beans, and coffee are staples here, and over 25 varieties of banana alone thrive in the region. The homegardens are more than productive — they are cultural landscapes, deeply tied to the Chagga way of life.

But these gardens face modern challenges: climate change, land scarcity, and falling coffee prices. As population growth divides land into smaller plots and shifting weather patterns stress crops, the Chagga are innovating once again — adopting contour farming, diversifying crops, and exploring new income sources, including tourism.

On our Baba Yangu itinerary, guests will spend time with Chagga families, walking through these layered gardens, learning how water flows from mountain streams into each home plot, and hearing stories passed down through generations. It’s an intimate look at how heritage, environment, and community are woven together — and a reminder that every farm here carries a living connection to the mountain.

In two weeks, we’ll share how Chagga farmers are reimagining this centuries-old system to meet the challenges of climate change.

Sources & Further Reading

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2017). ‘Kihamba’ – Chaga home gardens on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro [Video]. Watch here
• Hemp, A. (2006). The banana forests of Kilimanjaro: biodiversity and conservation of the Chagga homegardens. Biodiversity & Conservation, 15(4), 1193–1217.
• Silayo, V., & Pikirayi, I. (2023). Community-based approaches in the construction and management of water infrastructures among the Chagga, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Land, 12(3).
• Soini, E. (2005). Changing livelihoods on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: Challenges and opportunities in the Chagga homegarden system. Agroforestry Systems, 64(2), 157–167.