"This book reports research that is both rare and interesting with respect to ’lessons learnt for development.’ It assesses the effects of culture, governance, politico-economy, ecology, climate, and infrastructure development on reduction (or lack of it) of poverty and hunger. . . . I strongly recommend the book to those working in various ways for the eradication of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa."

N. Hatibu | Experimental Agriculture

"This book’s major contribution to the literature on the African farming systems is that it shows how to quantify familiar qualitative evaluations of agricultural practices and agrarian change.

Michael J. Sheridan | African Studies Review

"A senior North American academic reflecting on thirty years of research in a particular place in Africa. At times he is introspective, expressing concern over social problems that have deteriorated over the past three decades. He successfully incorporates unconventional methodologies to enhance his description. . . . Porter set himself the task of describing the agricultural possibilities confronting farmers in the Tanga Region, and by this criterion he succeeds."

Matthew Schnurr | Environment and Planning

"An important contribution to African scholarship. In particular, it has succeeded to merging the ’political’ and’ecological’ in political ecology, in ways that few studies have done. . . . It will certainly be a valuable addition to the reading list of any graduate seminar on sustainable development in Africa."

B.I. Logan | Human Ecology

"This book should be read by anyone interested in indigenous knowledge, food security, and farming in Africa."

Mara J. Goldman | Annals of the Association of American Geographers