Our Recommendation
We highly recommend supporting Once Acre Fund because they consistently apply various measurement methods to understand if their work is successful. This page on their website describes the rigorous evaluation methods that they utilize.
One Acre Fund meets the requirements for 4 of our 4 key criteria:
✔ Understand the Social Issue
✔ Ultimate Outcome Goals (Life Changes)
✔ Evidence of Success
✔ Counterfactual Impact
Their Vision
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.
The Problem: Rural Smallholder Farmer Poverty Caused by Low Agricultural Productivity and Poor Access to Essential Farming and Household Resources
Smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa grow the food that sustains local economies and feeds millions world-wide, yet they remain among the most underserved people on the planet. Over 50 million African families depend on small-scale agriculture, but face chronic barriers: limited access to quality seeds and fertilizer, outdated farming practices, and few market connections. Most live on less than $1 per day.
Without reliable harvests or the ability to invest in their land, these families remain vulnerable to hunger, poverty, and climate shocks. In places like Rwanda and Kenya, smallholder farmers form the majority of the population — transforming their productivity could shift the trajectory of entire nations.
The Solution: A Scalable, Farmer-Centered Model Rooted in Systems Change
One Acre Fund delivers a proven, full-service model that equips smallholder farmers with farming resources on credit, practical training, and market access — within their current villages. Farmers receive seeds, fertilizer, and training in composting, crop spacing, and climate resilience. Critically, services are repaid after harvest, reducing financial risk during the lean planting season.
The organization strengthens public and private systems through over 30 partnerships — including national seed production, local agroforestry nurseries, and carbon finance markets. This blended model reaches millions efficiently, combining high-touch programs with lower-cost delivery channels like brick-and-mortar farm shops.
In 2024, One Acre Fund supported 5.5 million farmers across 9 countries — with 2.1 million enrolled in the full-service program and 3.4 million reached through partnerships. From Nigeria to Malawi, they are proving that a better future for farmers is possible — and achievable at scale.
A Sample of Their Outputs
- 5.5 million farmers served, impacting 29 million family members
- 250 million trees planted since 2019, including 90 million in 2024
- 15,000 smallholder farmers engaged in carbon market pilots across 4 countries
- 3,232 metric tons of seed processed in Rwanda through a national seed partnership
- 9,487 full-time staff employed — 99% based in countries of operation
A Sample of Their Outcomes
- $434 million in total new profits and assets generated in 2024
- $102 in new income and assets per full-service farmer (36% increase on supported land)
- $63 in new profits and assets per partnership farmer
- 56% of full-service farmers now use organic inputs like compost (vs. 31% of control group)
A Sample of Their Impacts
- Children of veteran clients 12% more likely to meet dietary diversity standards
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