Putting Smallholder Farmers First in the Fight to End Hunger
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Putting Smallholder Farmers First in the Fight to End Hunger


It’s a bitter irony that the majority of the world’s hungriest people are farmers.

More than 50 million smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa are locked in annual cycles of hunger because they’re unable to grow enough food to feed their families.  Malnutrition can have serious, lifelong effects, especially for children, robbing them of their full potential as they grow up.

The challenges presented by hunger are huge, but not insurmountable. Modern techniques have allowed farmers around the world to unlock giant gains in crop yields. One Acre Fund is delivering proven tools to smallholders in remote areas of Sub-Saharan Africa where yields and access to financing have lagged behind.

Prosperous Farmers, Prosperous Communities

Putting Smallholder Farmers First in the Fight to End Hunger

When farmers prosper, their communities prosper too. Children who have enough food to eat attend school more often and have better performance. They’re also healthier and are less likely to suffer from stunting and other developmental delays. When farmers have extra income, they invest it in education, they build businesses in their communities, and they help neighbors in need. And when they practice sustainable farming techniques, the environment around them benefits as well, so that future generations can continue to grow nutritious food from the land.

Farmers First

Hunger and poverty are solvable problems. We can eradicate both within our lifetimes. 

We’ve already invented effective solutions—now is the time to focus on delivering them to everyone. 

Our Model: Market-based strategies to fight rural poverty.

One Acre Fund Program Model Chainlink

Here’s how our model works:

  1. Asset-Based Loans. Farmers receive high-quality seeds and fertilizer on credit, and we offer a flexible repayment system that allows them to pay back their loans in any amount throughout the loan term. 
  2. Delivery. We deliver inputs to locations within walking distance of every farmer we serve.
  3. Training. Farmers receive training throughout the season on modern agricultural techniques.
  4. Market Facilitation. We offer crop storage solutions and teach farmers about market fluctuations, so that they can time crop sales to maximize profits.

Every link in this chain is important—if one is missing, then the others won’t have as much impact. One Acre Fund provides all of these services together, enabling farmers to significantly increase their incomes and build paths to prosperity.

The bottom line is that this model works in a big way, on World Hunger Day and every day. You can read about our impact here and our many farmer success stories here.


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About the author:

One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund helps smallholder African farmers boost productivity by delivering a bundle of services directly to their doorsteps, including start-up financing, high-quality farming inputs, agricultural training, and market facilitation to help maximize profits. These tools help farmers increase their yield per acre, sales, and household income.


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The views expressed in blog posts are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Peter Singer or The Life You Can Save.