Long-term studies on the impact of land use change and crop selection on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. Accordingly, this study analysed the impact of converting natural grasslands to a range of low-input production systems in a tropical savannah on SOC stocks. Apart from the cultivation of legume tree and/or shrub species, all land management techniques were detrimental. Grazed grasslands in particular had almost 50 % less SOC than natural grasslands.