The Avocado Race in East Africa

The aim of this article, on one hand, is to document the local effects of avocado expansion on rural societies in East Africa and, on the other, the promotion of this ‘pro-poor’ model by governments and investors. How is the avocado agro-export model being implemented in Kenya and Tanzania? The central hypothesis proposes that the spread of this fruit for export is manifested in the ‘avocado race’, i.e. a competitive agro-export market for avocados, a high value-added product, an object that promises substantial profits, rents or incomes, promoted by a variety of private and public actors. The results highlight that access to the market via contracts or intermediaries is ultimately marked by the porosity of the various channels and by uncertainty. The concept of ‘globalized fruit’ embodies agriculture, rural societies and territories that are multi-speed, unequal and even fragmented, which can be seen on the East African scale and within the production territories.