Hi, I’m Rob Clowes, farming in the Rungwe region of Tanzania. Rungwe is a unique place for avocados: high altitude, fertile volcanic soils, and abundant rainfall create ideal growing conditions. This is exactly why I chose to settle here after leaving Zimbabwe—and why our farm can produce Raingrown avocados without irrigation.

Why organic

My motivation to move into organic avocado production was strongly shaped by real on-farm challenges—especially Phytophthora, a destructive fungal disease. Transitioning to organic farming in 2016 helped address this challenge and made the long-term benefits of regenerative practices tangible: healthier soils, stronger trees, and a system that performs better over time.

Raingrown by nature

Rungwe receives roughly 2,000 mm of rainfall per year, which—together with the volcanic soil—supports avocado cultivation without any irrigation. Natural precipitation carries the trees through critical growth phases, allowing us to produce high-quality fruit while preserving freshwater resources for drinking water and sanitation.

People and community

A thriving farm depends on the people behind it. We employ around 100 permanent workers and about 200 seasonal workers during harvest. Beyond meeting basic wage requirements, we work to keep improving conditions through measures such as health insurance, social security, and ethical compliance frameworks like SMETA. In doing so, we aim to support our workers and strengthen the local community connected to the farm.