Adaptation

We train smallholders to adopt practices to increase farm yields sustainably. We also support income diversification by offering a range of products from trees to sunflowers, and design safety nets to help ensure financial stability.

Adaptation first: Our top priority is adaptation initiatives that safeguard livelihoods and enable smallholder families to thrive despite rapidly changing conditions.

Boost farm income: We equip smallholders to sustainably increase their farm income by continually reinvesting in – rather than degrading – the environment that supports them. Tailored interventions – from optimized seeds to training – maximize yields, increase market access, and raise incomes sustainably. In 2022, we equipped farmers to achieve $316 million in new profits and assets – marking over $1 billion in cumulative farmer impact generated since our founding in 2006.

Ensure income protection: We are in the early stages of developing micro-insurance products to increase affordability and provide reliable disaster relief in times of low yields due to weather events. 

Improve soil vitality: We equip farmers with soil-saving techniques to prevent erosion and combat degradation. In 2021, One Acre Fund equipped 60,000 farmers to apply agricultural lime, a $10-20 annual investment per acre that improves the long-term pH balance of acidic soils and can increase crop yields by up to 20-40%.

Develop and disseminate training: We provide tailored agricultural training and advice around farmer adaptation — including on pest management, erosion control, composting, and pH balance improvement. 

Embed resilience: We support robust plant health and enhance resilience to stress through our weather-based guidance on optimized agronomy. We also promote the diversification of crops and assets, creating resilience and boosting long-term economic security.