Determinants of Productivity and Market Constraints in Smallholder Spice‐Based Agroforestry Systems in Tanzania

Despite Tanzania’s potential for spice production within agroforestry systems, an integrated understanding of production potential, market dynamics, farmer perceptions, and yield determinants remains limited, particularly for mainland regions. This study addresses this gap by examining spice‐based agroforestry systems in Morogoro and Tanga regions. Using a cross‐sectional design, we surveyed 524 randomly selected smallholder farmers (274 from Morogoro Rural District, 250 from Muheza District) practicing spice cultivation within agroforestry systems. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, thematic perception analysis, and multiple linear regression to identify factors associated with spice yield. Results revealed significant regional disparities: Morogoro cultivated all seven priority spice crops, including vanilla and turmeric, while Tanga produced five, suggesting agroecological and historical specialization. Market analysis exposed severe inefficiencies, with farmers overwhelmingly dependent on local traders (accounting for 56.7%–99.6% of sales across spices) and minimal processor participation (<1.5%), indicating fragmented markets and limited value addition. Farmers expressed strong confidence in agronomic aspects (61.8% agreed cultivation is straightforward) but identified critical post‐harvest challenges, with 80.2% reporting difficulties in processing spices. Regression analysis indicated that management practices ( β = 0.66, p < 0.001) and access to collectors ( β = 0.42, p < 0.001) were most strongly associated with yield, explaining 56.1% of variation. Contrary to expectations, socioeconomic attributes (education, gender, and age) and institutional support (extension and training) showed no significant associations. The study concludes that while Tanzania’s smallholder agroforestry systems have substantial spice production potential, this remains underrealized due to market inefficiencies and post‐harvest bottlenecks. Findings contribute empirical evidence for targeting interventions on agronomic practices and market linkages rather than generic socioeconomic approaches and provide baseline data for developing mainland Tanzania as a complementary spice hub to Zanzibar.