<p>Despite significant growth in the avocado market across domestic, regional, and international markets, and its contributions to Tanzania’s economy and poverty reduction, smallholder producers remain largely excluded from high-value markets. This study maps the avocado value chain in the Mbeya and Njombe regions of Tanzania to identify key actors, their roles and relationships, production practices, and the critical constraints limiting smallholder producers’ market access. A mixed-methods approach was employed whereby survey data were collected from 305 farmers through questionnaires, while semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 key informants. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, chi-square and content analysis. The findings reveal a value chain structure that confines smallholder producers to low-value activities while traders consolidate power over market information, finance, and logistics. Similarly, wholesalers are the main market channel to high-value markets. At the production level, smallholder producers rely on unsustainable practices such as the use of unapproved inputs, misuse of pesticides, and rare soil testing, which impacts compliance with market standards. The major constraints smallholder producers face in accessing markets include low prices, financial constraints and price fluctuations. Hence, integrated interventions to strengthen producer organisations, invest in rural infrastructure and technologies is necessary to enhance smallholder producers’ market access.</p>