The paper presents the observed effects on the streamflow of changing a tropical forest in the high rainfall belt of Zambia to agricultural use based on traditional farming methods. Hydrological observations were carried out on four small catchments under their natural conditions first, and later two of them under agricultural use with accompanying deforestation. Simple linear regression analysis of both monthly and annual runoff from the treated catchments on the monthly and annual runoff from undisturbed catchments showed that there was an increase in streamflow as a result of deforestation and subsistence agriculture. It is also shown that the shape of the flood hydrograph was changed as a result of changes in land use.