Growing avocados has brought Turinabo Pierre Celestin from Ngoma District, Rukira Sector, to a fortune of over 100 million Rwandan francs. He owns more than 1,200 Hass avocado trees planted on 2.5 hectares. Turinabo began the project in 2020, investing about 8 million Rwandan francs.
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Today, the wealth generated from it is valued at around 100 million. He explained that he chose avocados because they have a wide market and provide long‑term yields. He started harvesting after two years, and by the third year, the trees were producing fully.
Challenges in the Journey
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The journey was not easy. Many seedlings failed to grow and had to be replaced. He noted that sometimes only 40–50 out of 100 seedlings survive. Persistence, however, has brought him to his current scale. Each season he now harvests tons of avocados, selling them at about 1,000 Rwandan francs per kilogram, earning millions in profit.
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Early Life and Education
Turinabo’s path began much earlier. After moving to Ngoma in 1972 from Northern Rwanda, he worked on other people’s land under sharecropping arrangements, gradually learning modern farming methods. In 2019, inspired by his children’s schooling, he returned to education himself. His main breakthrough came through avocado farming.
Current Challenges and Opportunities
He acknowledges challenges such as expensive fertiliser and occasional pests. Yet he emphasises that the international market is expanding. His produce is exported to countries including China and the United Arab Emirates. He hopes to expand his land and production, encouraging others to embrace avocado farming as a way out of poverty.
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National Context
By 2025, Rwanda reported that 80% of its avocado harvest was sold to Arab countries. That same year, the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) announced that Rwanda earned $86.2 million from vegetable and fruit exports.
Broader Impact
This success story illustrates how agribusiness can transform lives and contribute to Rwanda’s broader goals of export growth, modern farming, and wealth creation.
