ABSTRACT
In many tropical African countries a considerable effort has been made to improve the productivity of peasant agriculture, or, by introducing conservation techniques, to lessen the demands which it makes upon the environment. It is astonishing that so little attempt has been made to examine, describe and analyse the many forms which peasant agriculture has assumed in tropical Africa. This does not mean that the authors cannot generalize about peasant agriculture in tropical Africa, but it does mean that the authors should understand statements referring to agricultural practice over large areas of Africa purely as generalizations, and not as truths concerning any individual situation. As such it has not been a part of peasant agriculture proper, although it must have some discussion here for it has important relationships with agriculture, which will become much stronger if attempts to develop mixed farming and settle pastoralists succeed.
