One Acre Fund
Compost Trainings that Fight Poverty and Boost Resilience
Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania
Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides over 400,000 farmers in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania with the tools, financing, and training to grow their way out of hunger and poverty. Now in its tenth year, One Acre Fund is sharply focused on its long-term impact, and is dedicated to making sure that the methods it teaches improve soil health and resilience wherever possible.
One way it does this is through composting trainings. By creating and applying compost, farmers are able to return much-needed nutrients to their fields, protect their soil from erosion, and improve their yields. These trainings align with the pillars of Climate Smart Agriculture, helping farmers sustainably increase their productivity and incomes while also enhancing their resilience to and protecting against environmental shocks. When a farmer’s soil is healthy, her crops are more likely to withstand disease, pests, and fluctuations in weather—environmental factors that could otherwise decimate an entire harvest.
In 2013, Rwandan farmer Ezira Ntegeyimbuga began composting for the first time, using the techniques he had learned in One Acre Fund’s composting training. That season, he harvested 80 kilograms of beans and 180 kilograms of maize, and set a new record for best harvest.
“The compost training saved me from poverty and hunger,” comments Ezira. The skills I learned from One Acre Fund were just the beginning. I now have to turn my skills into money.” Now, he uses the knowledge he gained from One Acre Fund’s trainings to make and sell compost to his neighbours.
