Help 500 Rwandan Farm Families Double Their Income

Despite the increasing extreme weather and ongoing economic challenges facing farmers this year in certain markets, we remain largely on track to achieve our 2024 performance goals. Some highlights within:

• Stable Core Program Growth: We project serving 1.68 million farmers in our core (direct service) program by year-end, representing an ~8% increase from last year. Although we will see only modest growth in Kenya due to the ongoing government farm input subsidy program, we project strong growth in the three poorest markets we reach: Burundi (25% year over year), Malawi (24%), and Rwanda (8%).

• Adapting to Extreme Weather: This year, Malawi's severe drought led to our largest crop insurance claim ever, partially compensating farmers for their losses. In response to the increasing prevalence of such extreme events, One Acre Fund is intensifying our climate resilience programming, including providing strong safety nets through improved insurance. For instance, we are partnering with IFC and Milliman on a three-year study to determine the payout levels families need in tough years to avoid costly coping mechanisms, providing crucial data for the agricultural insurance sector.

• Commercialization: In our work to increase adoption of higher-profit cash crops, we are pioneering new approaches to improving smallholder-facing value chains and helping agricultural businesses succeed. Our Smallholder Resilience Ventures (SRV) unit, launched in 2022, is strategically investing in SMEs that source climate-resilient, high-value crops from smallholders. This year SRV is advancing Rwanda's avocado, chili, and coffee value chains, while in Kenya, we are exploring market validation for textured vegetable protein and developing climate-friendly irrigation solutions. Additionally, our Burundi program now supports 50 cooperatives in mushroom cultivation, generating on average $350 in new income per cooperative. 

• 2024_Q2_One_Acre_Fund_Performance_Report.pdf (PDF)