Income growth

Farmers who work with One Acre Fund consistently grow larger harvests on the same plot of land compared to their peers, and earn more profit from their farms. 

Smallholder farmers depend on the food they grow to feed their families and sell for income. On average, the farmers we directly serve increase their farm income by 40%+ per year—from the same plot of land—and produce a surplus for the first time.

That’s the difference between farmers struggling to make ends meet and having money to pay for medical expenses, school for their children, and improvements to their farm and home.

How do we measure our impact on income growth?

To assess profit, we measure the value of a harvest each year (the price of crops sold at market), and the value of assets built over time (such as trees). 

Families often invest their extra income in paying school fees for their children. We estimate that the extra income generated in 2023 funded the equivalent of over 472,002 students attending secondary school for a year. 

With more income, farmers can accumulate assets that raise their living standards. Assets include investments in their farm, like livestock, and in their home, like solar lights. In 2023, farmers we served directly increased their assets by 35 percent on average.