In Tanzania, spice farming is primarily concentrated within the Eastern Arch Mountains, a designated conservation area that presents a unique interaction of economic sustenance, environmental conservation, and geographical challenges. This study aimed to identify and understand the livelihood strategies employed by spice farmers, and to examine the various determinants influencing their decision-making process in adopting these strategies. Data were gathered from 542 randomly selected spice households in the Uluguru and East Usambara mountains. Cluster analysis categorized households into distinct livelihood strategies, while multinomial logistic regression assessed the determinants of these strategies. The findings revealed five types of livelihood strategies among spice farmers in the study area. The determinants included total land ownership, age, education, sex, marital status of the household head, number of working-age members, location district, altitude, distance to the district capital, extension and research/NGO interaction, and durable asset ownership. Given the heterogeneity among spice farmers, interventions should be tailored to accommodate the diversity of their livelihood strategies. Policymakers should prioritize market stability, crop productivity, and income diversification through entrepreneurship to enhance household income and resilience. Promoting improved seeds and modern farming techniques can make spice farming more financially appealing to young farmers.

Keywords: Livelihood strategies, Cluster analysis, Spice production, Eastern Arch Mountains, Tanzania