Resilience
Farmers must adapt to the changing weather now to keep their land sustainable for generations to come.
A farmer's entire livelihood is often dependent on rainfall and an acre or two of land. Over 2 billion people rely on smallholder farms for food and income.
This is not a hypothetical future risk; it is a reality farmers are facing today. Smallholder farmers are witnessing devastating impacts on their crops, yields, diets, and families.
Our 10-year strategy supports smallholder farmers to build a prosperous future despite changing conditions. Tailored farming trainings and quality inputs (including optimal seed choices) increase crop yields and diversity, bolstering incomes while tackling challenges like pests and extreme weather. And products like crop insurance help provide protection when disaster strikes.
And One Acre Fund farmers are at the forefront of one of the largest tree-planting efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa. By early 2024, 2.8 million farmers have planted 250 million trees, and we are positioned to plant 1 billion trees by 2030.
How do we measure our impact on resilience?
One Acre Fund runs multi-year studies of soil fertility, measuring soil organic matter, nutrients, and acidity levels (which allows plants to soak up nutrients). In 2023, One Acre Fund supported over 1 million farmers in adopting at least one soil health practice, such as reducing soil acidity via agricultural lime, applying compost to their fields to increase organic matter, or undertaking erosion control practices. This is a key area of focus, as healthier soils worldwide could store up to 20% of current global carbon emissions - while also helping farmers to increase their yields.
One Acre Fund's Global Croptake
Our Global Croptake warns of a global decline in crop yields of 3–12% by 2050 and 11–25% by 2100. This will have a direct effect on smallholder farmers on the frontlines. Learn more here
Explore more of our resilience work
Our work focuses on three key areas of resilience: Adaptation, mitigation and leadership.
One Acre Fund is focused on helping farmers adapt to rapidly changing conditions through on-farm tree planting and soil health practices. Adaption is critical - hundreds of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa depend on agriculture to support their families.
Mitigation
One Acre Fund supports smallholder farmers in improving their resilience when extreme weather events impact yields through droughts or floods, primarily through on-farm tree planting.
Leadership
One Acre Fund advocates for smallholder farmers to be put front and center of global decisions. In our work we collaborate with farmers to develop solutions that help them build their resilience.
Invest in Resilience
Small-scale farmers are stewards of the land. Make an investment in the future with a monthly gift.
See our work in action
Growing resilience: Farmers lead the way in Kenya and Rwanda
Picture a farmer in Kenya sowing seeds of managu, an indigenous leafy green packed with nutrients her children need to thrive. Or a farmer in Rwanda planting cover crops to enrich her soil and protect against erosion. These small acts of resilience are happening against a backdrop of enormous challenges like degraded soils, and rising food insecurity.
It Takes a Village to empower communities: Alphonsine Musanabera’s story of entrepreneurship
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.
How the science of soil testing translates into farmer impact
Oliver Shibonje, a retired geography and music teacher from Kenya's Kakamega County, has traded in his chalk and classroom for the open fields, embracing full-time farming with a focus on maize, vegetables, and sugarcane.
Branching out: How One Acre Fund is helping mushroom farmers access new markets
Mushroom farming is a new agricultural endeavour for many of Burundi's smallholders. However those trying their hands at farming fungi are seeing remarkable results.
