Avocado Farming in Southern Highlands and its Inherent Threats on Staple Crops Access in Tanzania; A Case of Njombe Urban and Njombe District, Tanzania

Abstract

There has been increased emphasis on avocado production in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, accompanied by a noticeable shift in farmers' interests from the cultivation of major staple crops to avocado farming. This trend poses a threat to household food access in the Southern Highlands and in other regions of Tanzania that rely on staple crops sourced from these areas. This study was conducted in the Njombe Region with the objective of assessing the rapid expansion of avocado farming in the Southern Highlands and its inherent threats to food access in Tanzania. Primary data were collected through household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews, while secondary data were obtained through a review of official records. A sample of 385 respondents was used. The results indicated that avocado cultivation is increasingly focused on export-oriented varieties rather than those consumed domestically; the flourishing of avocado farming has led to the conversion of land previously used for staple crop production; the land allocated to avocado farming has been increasing while land for food crop production has been decreasing; and the production of major staple crops is declining amidst the expansion of avocado farming. Projections for 2030 reveal a potentially devastating impact on staple crop production, further threatening food access in other regions of the country. Based on these findings, the study recommends that policymakers and decision-makers take precautionary measures and design appropriate policies and interventions to ensure that the promotion of avocado farming goes hand in hand with the promotion of staple crop production, encourage intensive farming practices to achieve high yields on relatively small plots of land, and provide subsidies for inputs used in staple crop production to encourage continued farmer engagement in this essential sector.