Tanzania is positioning avocado as a cornerstone of its sustainable agricultural transformation under the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative.
The government, with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is boosting the avocado value chain through innovation, investment and inclusive development.
As one of Africa’s top three avocado producers alongside Kenya and South Africa, Tanzania sees this high-value crop as a strategic driver for exports and rural livelihoods. Smallholder farmers account for around 90% of the country’s avocado production, with growing regions spread across Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Njombe and beyond.
The OCOP initiative, which supports more than 30 African nations to champion a unique agricultural product, has helped Tanzania align its avocado push with broader national strategies for horticultural exports.
Momentum is building: data from the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) shows avocado exports soared by 74% between 2021 and 2023—from 15,432 tonnes to 26,826 tonnes—while export earnings rose from USD 44.3 million to USD 77.3 million. In November 2024, Tanzania’s first shipment of avocados landed in China, opening the door to a lucrative Asian market.
The government’s goal is to increase annual avocado output from 190,000 tonnes in 2018 to 290,000 tonnes by 2025. Achieving this will require investment in quality seedlings, irrigation, storage, processing, and stronger capacity-building for extension services.
By integrating sustainability across the production and marketing chain, Tanzania aims to create an inclusive, resilient avocado sector that benefits farmers, communities and the national economy. The OCOP programme is key to this vision, aligning with FAO’s ambition for better production, nutrition, environment and livelihoods—leaving no one behind.
Source: Further Africa
