Smallholder Farmers’ Access and Use of Local and Global Markets on Avocado Commercialisation for Livelihood Enhancement in Mufindi District, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper examines the avocado market categories, access to and utilisation of commercialised local and international markets and the contribution of avocado commercialisation to livelihood enhancement among smallholder farmers in Mufindi District, Tanzania. Guided by value chain theory and the sustainable livelihoods framework, the paper employed a mixed-methods approach. Simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 161 smallholder farmers, and purposive sampling was used to select key informants. Data were gathered using structured questionnaires and interviews. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The findings revealed that the majority, 54.7%, of the respondents marketed avocados individually, while 40.4% marketed their produce exclusively in local markets. This suggests that local markets continue to be the primary marketing channel for most smallholder producers. Smallholder farmers’ access to and utilisation of global avocado markets were found to be moderate (mean = 3.56), mainly due to restricted compliance with global market standards, price volatility, and weak cooperative governance. However, despite some constraints, the commercialisation of avocado recorded a relatively high livelihood improvement score (mean = 3.72). This implies improvements in household income, food security, and employment chances. The paper concludes that expanding access to markets, strengthening institutional support, and improving agribusiness services are essential to promoting the commercialisation of avocado and sustainable rural livelihoods. The paper recommends strengthening avocado market information systems by leveraging reliable digital platforms and comprehensive market databases that provide smallholder farmers with real-time data on prices, market demand, quality standards, and export opportunities.