Arusha, Tanzania - The Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) has launched a groundbreaking initiative called Growing Wealth through Horticulture (GROWTH), aiming to bolster the cultivation of avocado, amarula (Sclerocarya birrea), and spices across six regions. This ambitious project is not only geared towards mitigating the effects of climate change but also aims to enhance farmers' incomes and improve nutrition.
Financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), GROWTH is being implemented in Pwani, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Manyara, Dodoma, and Tanga regions. The initiative has seen a significant increase in small-scale farmers embracing fruit farming, with the number rising from 794 in 2022 to 1,993 in 2023—a remarkable 60 percent surge.
According to a rapid assessment conducted in Arusha, Manyara, and Kilimanjaro, avocado farming has proven to be particularly favorable compared to other crops. The area under commercial avocado cultivation has increased from 1003.2 acres to 1,672 acres, with the potential for northern Tanzania's avocado growers to absorb a total of 4,347.2 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Scientifically proven to absorb up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide per year on a one-acre plantation, avocados play a crucial role in environmental conservation. Mr. Gilliard Daniel, TAHA’s production head, estimates that by 2027, avocado production in the Northern zone could reach 20,064 metric tonnes, worth Sh36.12 billion, based on the current price of Sh1,800 per kilogram.
The GROWTH project, funded by Sida and implemented by TAHA, aims to empower farmers to grow their wealth through horticulture while simultaneously protecting the environment and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Mr. Simon Mlay, Executive Associate of TAHA CEO, emphasizes the project's goal to facilitate horticultural transformation, addressing challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation.
Through collaboration with the government, TAHA is working to open up new markets for Tanzanian avocados in China, India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, and the Nordic countries. The strategic harvesting season of Tanzanian avocados, which does not coincide with major global producers like Mexico and Colombia, provides a unique market advantage.
In contrast to the water-intensive avocado cultivation practices in Mexico, Tanzania's avocado growers benefit from sufficient rainfall, arable soils, and favorable climatic conditions. Academic Researcher Manuel Ochoa Ayala highlights that Tanzanian avocado growers use only 63 liters of water to produce 1kg, a fraction compared to the massive water usage in Mexico.
Under the GROWTH project, TAHA is also expanding the cultivation of amarula fruits in semi-arid areas of Arusha, Dodoma, and Kilimanjaro regions. Nearly 35,000 seeds of amarula have been planted at the TAHA center in Tengeru, with over 1,000 seeds already germinated. While not commonly grown as a commercial crop in Tanzania, amarula holds significant environmental and commercial value, especially in the manufacturing of natural cosmetics.