Uganda has taken a decisive step toward expanding its agricultural export potential with the launch of a national Avocado Roadmap and Platform. Backed by support from the European Union through the EU-EAC MARKUP II programme, the initiative is designed to position the country as a competitive player in the global avocado market while strengthening the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The official launch event, attended by Mr. Byantwale T. Stephen on behalf of the Honorable Minister of State for Agriculture Fred Bwino Kyagulaga, marks a pivotal milestone in Uganda’s efforts to modernize and industrialize its agriculture sector.
The roadmap is being implemented with technical support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the EU-funded Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II). It outlines a national strategy to develop Uganda’s avocado value chain, with a focus on increasing production, improving post-harvest infrastructure and enhancing international market access. The initiative is also intended to unlock income-generating opportunities for rural farmers, including youth and women, who form the majority of avocado producers in the country.
Tapping into Global Demand and Driving Value Addition
Uganda’s agro-climatic conditions provide a natural advantage for growing Hass avocados, a variety in high demand across international markets. The country’s export performance over the past two years reflects its potential in this sector. In 2023, Uganda exported avocados valued at $5.1 million, with the bulk of exports going to the Middle East. In 2024, Uganda expanded its reach to the European Union, shipping its first containers of Hass avocados to EU markets. These developments indicate both rising international interest and Uganda’s increasing capacity to meet global standards.
Beyond the export of fresh fruit, Uganda is also advancing its presence in the processed avocado market. The country currently has five operational oil-processing facilities that use both locally grown varieties and reject-grade Hass avocados to produce avocado oil. The yield efficiency of Hass avocados, which contain roughly 10 percent oil compared to the 3.5 to 7 percent oil content in local varieties, makes them more commercially viable for processing. Together, these facilities process around 63,000 tonnes of avocados annually and produce approximately 2.5 million kilograms of crude avocado oil.
This value addition supports Uganda’s broader agro-industrial development goals by reducing post-harvest waste and creating local employment opportunities across the value chain. However, the sector still faces challenges such as limited infrastructure, lack of access to high-quality planting materials and gaps in technical knowledge among smallholder farmers. Meeting export requirements for food safety and quality standards remains a hurdle for many producers.
The roadmap directly addresses these issues by providing a coordinated national framework that aligns the efforts of public institutions, private businesses and development partners. Its strategic focus areas include increasing access to certified planting materials, expanding technical training, strengthening market certification systems and building critical infrastructure such as cold storage and transportation. These interventions are designed to ensure consistent supply, improve efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Uganda’s avocado products on the global stage.
Institutional Coordination and Public-Private Partnerships
A core feature of the Avocado Roadmap is its emphasis on collaboration. The roadmap launch emphasized the importance of partnerships in accelerating the sector’s growth. Mr. Byantwale T. Stephen, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted that the avocado industry is a national priority under Uganda’s Agro-Industrialization Programme, which aims to promote job creation, rural transformation and inclusive growth through agribusiness.
One of the key developments announced at the launch was the appointment of HortiFresh as the official Secretariat for the Avocado Sector Platform. Selected through a competitive process, HortiFresh will coordinate stakeholder efforts, monitor the roadmap’s implementation and ensure alignment between national goals and on-the-ground activities. The Secretariat’s performance will be reviewed every three years by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and a new secretariat may be appointed depending on progress. At present, work is underway to develop a dedicated budget for the Secretariat and funding options are being explored.
The platform will serve as a central hub for engagement among farmers, exporters, agribusinesses, government agencies and development partners. By creating a space for knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving, the platform is expected to address sector-wide challenges more efficiently and ensure that the roadmap’s strategic actions are implemented in a timely and coordinated manner.
Smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of avocado production in Uganda, stand to gain significantly from this structured approach. By supporting farmers in adopting improved cultivation methods, accessing markets and meeting international quality requirements, the roadmap provides a pathway for rural producers to participate in higher-value segments of the agricultural economy. This includes not only the sale of fresh avocados but also opportunities in processing, aggregation and service provision along the value chain.
A Framework Backed by Regional and International Support
The development and launch of the Avocado Roadmap have been made possible through the European Union’s support under the EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II). This regional initiative is implemented by the International Trade Centre in partnership with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and national governments. MARKUP II aims to increase the competitiveness of East African micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in regional and global markets through value chain development, trade facilitation and investment promotion.
In Uganda, MARKUP II is helping to reduce trade barriers, promote quality compliance and facilitate technology transfer in export-oriented agricultural sectors. The programme is particularly focused on enhancing the capacities of smallholder farmers and agro-processors to engage in sustainable and profitable trade. The Avocado Roadmap is one of the key outcomes of this broader effort, providing a model for how targeted policy interventions and international support can work together to drive inclusive economic development.
With strong institutional backing, private sector involvement and strategic investment, Uganda’s avocado industry is poised for accelerated growth. The roadmap sets a clear direction for the sector, offering practical solutions to long-standing challenges and laying the groundwork for a competitive, export-ready value chain. As implementation begins, smallholder farmers across the country are expected to benefit from increased productivity, better market access and improved incomes.
