One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund is an agricultural service provider that supports Africa’s smallholder farmers to build resilient communities.
More than 50 million families in Sub-Saharan Africa earn a living from small farms, which produce 80 percent of the continent’s food. But harvests still lag far behind the rest of the world. We supply the financing and training these farmers need to grow their way out of hunger and build lasting pathways to prosperity.

Instead of giving handouts, we invest in farmers to help them increase their yields and their profits. When farmers become more productive, they help feed healthy communities and create thriving economies. They also reduce environmental pressure by doing more with less land.

Our founding story
For smallholder farmers, the line between flourishing and struggling often comes down to small differences in planting technique and the quality of seeds and supplies. Providing access to better farm products — such as naturally-produced hybrid seed and a small amount of fertilizer — and education on farming techniques became the driving mission behind One Acre Fund. Started in 2006 by co-founders Andrew Youn, Eric Pohlman, and John Gachunga, One Acre Fund addresses these solvable problems so that farmers have what they need to thrive.

2021 Annual Report: Cultivating New Frontiers
In a second straight year filled with challenges and uncertainty due to COVID, climate change, and inflation, One Acre Fund prioritized adaptation and innovation in supporting our clients.

We envision a future in which every farm family has the knowledge and means to achieve big harvests, support healthy families, and cultivate rich soil.
Extreme poverty is concentrated in one profession: farming. Most people living on $1 a day are farmers.

If all of the 50 million farm families in Sub-Saharan Africa could grow more on their current plots of land, they would be a powerful force against poverty and food insecurity in their communities.

Farming is truly the engine of Africa’s development. When farmers have the opportunity to make their farming more productive, they build pathways to prosperity for millions of families.

Big Harvests
On average, the farmers we directly serve double the size of their harvests—from the same plot of land—and produce a surplus for the first time. We envision a new reality in which all farmers:

Harvest more from their staple food crops.
Are protected against crop failures through crop insurance.
Have access to higher-paying markets for their crops.
Diversify the crops on their farm and build long-term assets.
Healthy Families
Farmers we serve directly are more likely to have a steady supply of food all year. We imagine a future in which all farmers and their families:

Never have to skip a meal from lack of food.
Eat more diverse and nutritious foods.
Have all their basic needs met.
Rich Soils
The farmers we serve are helping to improve soil health. We picture a world in which all farmers have the option to:

Plant trees to control erosion and capture carbon dioxide.
Control soil pH and boost plant nutrients.
Diversify their crops to increase soil fertility.
Compost to minimize erosion.