• Tanzania establishes the continent’s first annual horticultural council to support growth and innovation in the sector.
• The council aims to connect stakeholders across Africa, from farm to market, and promote knowledge sharing.
• Government and private-sector collaboration aims to enhance infrastructure, storage, and market access for youth and women.

The government of Tanzania has officially launched the Horti Logistica Africa Council during the 2025 General Conference on Agriculture and Agribusiness for Horticultural Crops. The event, organised by the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (Tanzania), will henceforth take place every November. The council is intended as a continental platform for stakeholders from across Africa’s horticultural sector to share experiences and explore opportunities across the value chain from farm to market.

Tanzania’s horticultural sector is growing rapidly, and the sub‑sector is identified as among the fastest‑growing within agriculture, with growth rates reported around 8‑11 % annually.  It also provides employment opportunities for youth and women — for instance, women make up a majority of the labour force in horticulture, and youth engagement is seen as critical.  To capitalise on this potential, the government has committed to improving infrastructure, storage, and transportation systems for horticultural outputs — key bottlenecks that currently lead to high post‑harvest losses.

Part of the sector's digital transformation is reflected in TAHA's launch of the “HortiMarket” platform. This platform links producers, buyers, exporters, and service providers with real‑time data on prices, availability, and demand across 26 regions in Tanzania. It supports over 500,000 small‑holder farmers and represents a push towards modernising value chain coordination and transparency. 

Export figures also show promise: Tanzania’s horticultural exports rose from US$290.1 million in 2022 to US$417.7 million in 2023.  Nonetheless, only a small fraction of produce is exported — about 90 % is consumed locally, indicating an enormous scope for growth and diversification. By hosting Horti Logistica  Africa, the Tanzanian government says it hopes to become a hub for horticultural trade, innovation, and investment in Africa. 

By Cynthia Ebot Takang