Which of the following best describes the Kihamba agroforestry system practised near Mount Kilimanjaro?

Step 1: Identify key features of the Khamba (Chagga) agroforestry system near Mount Kilimanjaro. It is an indigenous practice with bananas as the upper layer, coffee shrubs in the middle, and shade trees plus root crops below, integrating livestock.

Step 2: Compare to option A. This system is traditional but sustainable through local knowledge and does not rely solely on government intervention.

Step 3: Compare to option B. It prioritizes sustainability but independently, without primary reliance on government intervention.

Step 4: Compare to option C. The multi-layered structure closely mimics the vertical stratification of tropical montane forests, making this the best description.

Step 5: Compare to option D. It is polyculture agroforestry, not monoculture focused on cash crops.

C

$\boxed{C}$