In Rwanda, trees on farms are widely recognized for increasing and
diversifying farm productivity while releasing pressure on existing forests. However,
the motivation of rural households to plant trees on farms is often unclear. This study
evaluates rural households demographic and socio-economic characteristics, as well
as their attitudes, that influence the presence of trees on farms. Data used in this study
were collected from a survey of 480 households across three altitude regions of
Rwanda. Binary logistic regression analysis using PASW Statistics was applied to
determine relevant predictor variables for the presence of trees on farms. The results
show regional variation in explaining the presence of trees on farms. When data from
the three regions were analysed together, significant predictor variables comprise the
gender of head of the household, the number of salaried members of the households,
the amount of farm fuelwood, the number of meals per day, the geographical location
of the households and the selling of tree products. The presence of different tree
species on farms was driven by economic factors, of which availability of food,
firewood, and poles, and total income were most common. The results of the study
imply that policy measures that target food security and income diversification in rural
areas may, at the same time, enhance tree planting. Moreover, it is concluded that rural
development and extension in agriculture should be site specific, to account for biophysical
conditions and specific rural household motivations to plant trees on farms.