Abstract:
The study aimed to examine the decline of coffee production and its effect on the income of farmers in rural
areas of Arumeru District in Arusha Region. The study was guided by three specific objectives. First is to
examine the contributions of coffee production on livelihood of farmers. Secondly is to find out causes of the
decline of coffee production in the study area. Thirdly, is to examine consequences of declining coffee
production. Data for this study was collected from six villages located in the middle land and highland zones,
three villages from each zone. The primary data was sought through questionnaire and secondary data through
literature review. While qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis, quantitative was processed through
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). In the light of the research objectives, the following findings
were presented. First, the income obtained through coffee production attended important matter in the
household. Secondly, the result show that there was no variation on causes of decline coffee production for the
village found on middle land and highland zones. The main causes were low producer price 62.2%; high inputs
cost 30% and ageing of coffee trees. Thirdly, the study show there is low impacts resulted from decline coffee
production. The study recommends that in order to alleviate the coffee decline trends, the ageing coffee tree,
need be replaced by new varieties that have high yielding potential and resistant to pest and disease attack. The
government should establish mechanism to reduce the cost of farm inputs inform of crop subsidy so that farmers
could increase production, hence realize high income.
