The Spice Islands
The term "Spice Islands" historically referred primarily to the Moluccas (present-day Maluku province of Indonesia) — the original source of cloves, nutmeg, and mace. Zanzibar acquired this nickname in the 19th century after Sultan Seyyid Said deliberately transferred clove cultivation to his East African territories, creating a new centre of world spice production that dominated global markets for decades.
The geography suited it: Zanzibar's humid equatorial climate, fertile volcanic soils, and consistent rainfall produce ideal conditions for clove trees (Syzygium aromaticum), which require humidity and warmth year-round. The cultivation spread rapidly and by the 1870s the island was the world's largest clove producer.
Cloves and Sultan Seyyid Said
The introduction of cloves to Zanzibar was a deliberate colonial agricultural policy. Seyyid Said, having relocated his Omani Sultanate capital to Zanzibar in 1840, ordered the plantation of clove trees across both Zanzibar and Pemba islands, replacing existing food crops. Arab and Omani landowners (and the enslaved people who worked their plantations) drove the expansion.
The economics were extraordinary: at the peak of Zanzibar's clove production in the 1870s, the island supplied 75% of world demand. The clove price in Zanzibar's harbour was the benchmark price for the global spice trade. The architectural grandeur of Stone Town — the Sultan's palaces, the Arab merchant mansions, the elaborate carved doors — was financed in significant part by clove revenue.
The slave trade and the clove trade were directly linked: enslaved people from the East African interior provided the labour that made plantation-scale clove production possible. The abolition of the slave trade in 1873 disrupted the plantation system and began a long decline in Zanzibar's position in the global spice trade.
Other Spices of Zanzibar
| Spice | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cloves | The primary crop. Buds harvested by hand before they open. Used in food, medicine, and perfumery. |
| Black pepper | Vine crop. Less economically significant than cloves but widely grown on Zanzibar farms. |
| Cinnamon | Inner bark of Cinnamomum trees. Harvested by stripping and drying bark. |
| Vanilla | Orchid vine. Each flower pollinated by hand (no native pollinators on Zanzibar). |
| Cardamom | Seed pods from plants in the ginger family. Used extensively in Swahili cooking. |
| Nutmeg | Seed of Myristica fragrans. Also produces mace (the red aril around the seed). |
| Lemongrass | Widely grown. Used in cooking and traditional medicine. |
| Turmeric | Root crop. Used extensively in Zanzibari cuisine. |
Spice Farms Today
Spice farming in Zanzibar today is conducted primarily on small family farms in the central highlands, particularly around the town of Kizimbani. The large plantation system of the 19th century has given way to smaller-scale mixed cultivation. Cloves remain the most economically significant crop and Zanzibar (with neighbouring Pemba) still accounts for a meaningful share of world clove production, though no longer the dominant share.
Spice farm tours are one of the most popular activities in Zanzibar — a working farm visit where guides explain the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of 10–15 different spices, culminating in a traditional Swahili lunch using the same spices. Our spice tour page covers the full experience.
FAQ
The Spice Farm tour is included in Day 11 of our 13-Day Tanzania Adventure — combined with a Stone Town walking tour. Free quote from our Moshi team.
