Avocado Day at Nane Nane Showcases Tanzania’s Booming Avocado Industry

Dodoma, August 4, 2024 – Today marks an exciting day at the Nane Nane agricultural exhibition in Dodoma as stakeholders from across Tanzania gather to celebrate Avocado Day. Organized by Afrifarm and SAGCOT Centre, this event brings together industry leaders, smallholder farmers, and avocado enthusiasts to highlight the significant strides and opportunities within Tanzania’s avocado sector.

Event Highlights

Arrival and Registration (13:45 – 14:00): The day begins with participants arriving and registering for the event, setting the stage for a series of insightful plenary sessions.

Opening Remarks (14:00 – 14:10): The Afrifarm Director officially kicks off the event with welcoming remarks, setting a positive tone for the day’s discussions.

Plenary 1: 20 Years of Growing Export Avocados – Learning from Experience (14:10 – 15:10)

• Experiences in Exporting Avocados from Tanzania: Africado shares its two-decade journey of exporting avocados, highlighting challenges and triumphs.
• Perspectives from Smallholder Farmers: Nzalacado discusses the critical role of smallholder farmers in the avocado supply chain.
• Changing Incomes through Quality Seedlings: Du Roi emphasizes the importance of quality seedlings in boosting farmers’ incomes.
• Customizing Crop Nutrition for Increased Yields: Yara explores innovative crop nutrition strategies tailored to avocado farming.
• Transforming Exports of Fresh Pulp and Avocado Oil: Avo Africa outlines steps to elevate the export of avocado products.

Plenary 2: Growing Innovation in the Avocado Value Chain (15:10 – 16:00)

• Outsourcing Packhouse Services to Smallholder Farmers: Kibidula Farms discusses outsourcing strategies to enhance smallholder farmers’ productivity.
• The Place of Tanzania Avocados in the Airfreight Business: Air Tanzania highlights the role of airfreight in the avocado export business.
• Building Capacity in Tanzania: TAHA shares insights on the journey towards self-reliance in the avocado sector.

Plenary 3: Avocados for Health and Beauty (16:00 – 16:50)

• The Nutrition Gap Amongst Avocado Farmers: TFST addresses nutritional challenges faced by avocado farmers.
• Exciting Dishes for Ordinary People: Taste Me presents creative avocado dishes that cater to diverse palates.
• Local Processing for Global Markets: Tanzanice discusses the global market opportunities for locally processed avocados.
• Promoting Local Consumption: Jacinta advocates for increased local consumption of avocados for health benefits.

Plenary 4: Doing Avocado Business in Tanzania (16:50 – 17:30)

• Facilitating Policy Dialogue: SAGCOT highlights progress in the avocado industry through policy facilitation.
• The Voice of Smallholder Farmers: The Avocado Society of Tanzania (ASTA) presents the development agenda from smallholder farmers’ perspectives.

Wrap-Up and Closing (17:20 – 17:30)

• Wrap-Up: The moderator recaps the day’s key takeaways.
• Vote of Thanks: TAHA extends gratitude to all participants and organizers.
• Closing Remarks: SAGCOT concludes the event with closing remarks, emphasizing the future of the avocado industry in Tanzania.

Notable Speakers

The event features a diverse lineup of speakers, including:

• Ms. Mercy Mmari: Chairperson, TFST
• Mr. Nzalawahe: Managing Director, Nzalacado
• Mr. Eero Pisila: Managing Director, Tanzanice
• Ms. Tullah Mloghe: SAGCOT Centre
• Mr. Saleh Amer: Managing Director, Taste Me
• Mr. Donath Fungu: YARA Zonal Manager
• Tam Johnson: General Manager, Du Roi SA
• Mr. Anil Kumar: General Manager, TAZPACK
• Ms. Yasinta: Avocado Processor
• Ms. Happiness Lutashaba: Air Tanzania – Cargo
• Mr. Daniel Nchele: Africado
• Nagib Karmal: Managing Director, Avo Africa

Avocado Day at Nane Nane provides a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and celebrating the achievements of various stakeholders. As the industry expands, events like these are crucial in driving innovation and collaboration, ensuring that Tanzania remains a key player in the global avocado market.