Extension work has remained an important part of our model since we began 20 years ago. But where does this knowledge come from, and how does it make its way to the farmers who need it most?
Closing the gender gap starts with understanding it. Collecting and analyzing data helps us identify where disparities exist, uncover insights into farmers' different experiences, test solutions, and shape programs that deliver fairer outcomes for all.
To better reflect the reality of farmers’ lives, our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team developed a new approach; whole-farm measurement. By measuring the whole-farm impact, we will develop stronger, data-driven strategies to better support farmers across all their crops, and ensure we continue to generate a meaningful impact for the farmers we serve.
Recognizing both the incredible potential of smallholder farmers and the persistent challenges they face, our Nigeria program convened key stakeholders for a national dialogue on food security in Abuja. Titled “Achieving Food Security in Nigeria: Bridging the Gap,” the event brought together government leaders, policymakers, agricultural innovators, development partners, and farmers.
What if a single act of generosity could amplify a young woman’s determination, support her to turn her hard work into realized dreams, improved livelihood and community impact? This is the power of smallholder farming when given the right support.
At just 24 years old, Alphonsine Musanabera is redefining what it means to be a young farmer. In Rwamagana District, Rwanda, she’s not only breaking the cycle of intergenerational farming challenges but also creating opportunities for her community.
Mbonihankuye Wilo is a 34-year-old farmer from Kibungo Hill in Gitega province. Like many farmers in his community, Mbonihankuye faced many challenges.
In Pyata, a rural community in Niger State, Nigeria, farming is more than just a livelihood—it’s the central activity that connects the village. For Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, the Village Head, and his wife Talatu Ibrahim, farming has become a means to not only secure their family’s future but also assist their neighbors when the need arises.
In the heart of Bugesera District, Rwanda, Febronie Mukashyaka, a young mother of three, grappled with the daily challenge of providing for her family while staying close to her children. Her journey took a turn when she visited Vestine Mukashyaka, a 52-year-old neighbor and fellow local savings group member.
Asterie Ntahonvukiye is a trained teacher and passionate volunteer in rural Burundi, but her classroom extends far beyond the school walls. As the leader of a local farming group, she’s committed to ensuring that every member has the skills they need to thrive.
Female farmers like Alphonsine are essential to Africa's food production, yet they often lack the same access to resources as their male counterparts. If women had equal access to these resources, they could increase their farm harvest by 20–30 percent.
It's no longer just about financial rewards and climbing the corporate ladder—people want to use their expertise to make a real difference.
We do tree planting differently. Our initiative to plant 1 billion trees is led by smallholder farmers and every seedling planted is an opportunity for them and their families to prosper.
Women smallholder farmers like Hilder Ongeri typically invest more of what they earn back into their families and communities than their male counterparts. This has knock-on effects for the generations that follow.
Fifty-two-year-old One Acre Fund field officer Alphonsine Nyiransabimana dreams of a thriving agricultural industry in Rwanda, where farmers can earn a decent living. She is working to fulfill this mission by helping farmers in her local community access credit and quality seeds so that they can increase their harvests and adapt to extreme weather.
Starting as a pilot serving 150 farmers in 2018 in Niger State, our program in Nigeria has been hugely successful – in 2022, we served over 24,000 farmers. We are rapidly scaling and expanding our work, which has the potential to transform the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Nigeria’s smallholder farmers over the next decade.
Discover how smallholder farmers in Tanzania are adopting early-maturing and drought-resistant sunflower seeds and are reshaping agricultural practices.
One Acre Fund has recently adjusted our support for Ugandan smallholder farmers to better suit their needs.
Our Executive Director, Andrew Youn, shares his vision on why investing in young farmers is key to addressing the challenges we face in agriculture today – from sustainably feeding the world’s growing population to finding lasting solutions to resilient, profitable agriculture.
Our Executive Director talks about the drivers of the unfolding food security crisis, and shares his vision on how we can ensure access to healthy diets for all sustainably and inclusively.
When Sally, a Marketing Strategist, joined our Kenya program in 2011, we were serving 28,000 farmers. Today, that number has grown to nearly half a million. She tells the story of how our enrolment process has evolved in this time.
Women farmers tend to invest more in their homes and families, thereby fuelling the prosperity of their communities.
Food is the most basic of human needs. It is essential not just for the health of individuals but also that of communities, which, in turn, affects the health of national economies.
Our Executive Director shares how we’re using the lessons learned from 2020 to chart our next decade of growth.
