Nitrogen Fixation in Beans (2014)
Common beans are the second most widely grown crop in East Africa. In Rwanda, they are the primary staple crop. As common beans are leguminous plant (part of the general bean family), they have the ability to take nitrogen (N) from the air and use it for their growth. This process is referred to as biological nitrogen fixation. One Acre Fund consulted a range of experts at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and N2Africa to identify promising methods to improve nitrogen fixation in legumes.
Why tree planting on farms is a win for farmers and nature
Discover how agroforestry - the practice of planting trees among crops - offers smallholder farmers like Baraka, Dunstan and Claudine a variety of benefits.
The power of women smallholder farmers
Investing in women smallholder farmers like Jeanne D'Arc Mbanira is critical to significantly increasing agricultural productivity, food security, and household prosperity.
Claudine Ayinkamiye: Farmer, tree entrepreneur, climate adapter
In just the first season farming with One Acre Fund, Claudine Ayinkamiye, a 30-year-old farmer from Rwanda, managed to produce 900 kilos of potatoes and maize. Thanks to this surplus, she was able to invest in different crops and trees, making her better equipped to withstand erratic weather due to climate change.
A field officer’s mission: Planting the seeds of climate resilience within her community
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 caused by the climate crisis.
