Agronomic practices and their implications on avocado production in southern highlands. A case of Njombe Region, Tanzania

Avocado (Persea americana) has recently emerged as a significant cash crop in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, with production increasing due to deliberate efforts by the government and development partners to promote the crop. However, current production levels have not been sufficient to meet growing market demand. This study was conducted in two councils of the Njombe Region namely; Njombe District Council and Njombe Urban Council with the overall objective of investigating avocado agronomic practices and their implications on avocado production in the Southern Highlands. Specifically; the study investigated various agronomic practices adopted by farmers in avocado and examined the influence of various agronomic practices on avocado production in the study area. Data were collected through household surveys, Focus Group Discussions, and Key Informant Interviews, involving a total of 385 respondents. The findings revealed a limited adoption of recommended agronomic practices among farmers. The study also found that plant spacing and fertilizer application were the only significant predictors of farmers not experiencing lower harvests than expected, Specifically, farmers who used proper plant spacing (6 meters to 8) were 3.755 times more likely to report consistent or experiencing expected harvests compared to those who did not adhere to the spacing guideline. Moreover, fertilizer application was positively and significantly associated with better harvest outcomes in the study area. The rest of predictors (expert consultation; pesticide use; and foliar sprays) did not reach the threshold for statistical significance, indicating that on their own, they may not strongly influence yield stability in the studied context. Based on these findings, the study recommends increasing awareness among avocado farmers about modern agronomic practices. This should be achieved through participatory approaches to effectively boost avocado production in the future. From a policy perspective, the study recommends the need of creation of targeted extension programs that emphasize the benefits of proper plant spacing and timely fertilizer application. In addition, government and development partners may consider subsidy programs or revolving input funds to enhance access to fertilizers, especially for smallholder farmers who may not afford regular purchases