By Demola Akinyemi Ilorin

As part of its commitment to promoting food sustainability ,combating climate change,and ensure improved standard of living,One Acre Fund, a nonprofit organization supporting smallholder farmers, has announced plans to empower four million farmers across Nigeria by 2030 through its integrated credit and agroforestry initiatives.

Speaking during the Kwara Harvest Day held in Share, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, the Head of Innovations, Dr. Adefunke Adewole, said the organization is steadily scaling its operations to reach more farmers households across the country.

She noted that the Harvest Day, an annual event, is organized to celebrate the bumper harvests of “One Acre Fund–supported farmers” and to recognize their hard work and productivity throughout the farming season.

According to Dr. Adewole, the organization has distributed 250,000 tree seedlings to farmers in Kwara State alone, contributing to the 13 million free tree seedlings distributed nationwide in 2025 under its tree planting and agroforestry initiative.

“Through our agroforestry program, we are currently serving over 550,000 farmers across our operational states,” she said, adding that “In addition, 75,000 farmers are enrolled in our credit program, which provides access to improved seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs on credit to boost their yields and income.”

She further said that One Acre Fund currently operates in Niger, Kwara, and Nasarawa States, with plans underway to expand into Plateau and Bauchi States in 2026 as part of its long-term growth strategy.

“Our ultimate goal is to reach one million farming households by 2030, which translates to approximately four million farmers across Nigeria,” Dr. Adewole explained.

Dr. Adewole also reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to working closely with state governments and partners to achieve its mission of improving farmer livelihoods through access to credit, training, and sustainable farming practices.

“We have enjoyed excellent collaboration with state governments and partners, and we look forward to deepening those relationships as we continue to scale our impact,” she added.

However, she acknowledged that insecurity and banditry remain challenges affecting the organization’s operations in some regions, noting that One Acre Fund continues to prioritize the safety of its staff and farmers in all areas of operation.

Since its launch in Nigeria in 2018, One Acre Fund has remained at the forefront of agricultural transformation, empowering smallholder farmers with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to increase productivity, improve resilience, and build a more food-secure Nigeria.

Meanwhile,a Community Leader,Muhammed Gana, who was a beneficiary in the credit program said “when the program was introduced to our community last year, we were reluctant to enroll in the Acre Fund program because of past poor experiences. But now, we’ve realized the differences in the seeds supplied by the organization and the one we buy in the market.

“Although we didn’t follow the recommendations made by the organization, we still enjoyed a satisfactory harvest than our previous experience.

“We didn’t follow the instructions because we were afraid of counting loses if we planted the seeds one-in-a-hole and leaving a space of one-feet between each hole.

“With my experience, i and my fellow farmers are now convinced with the result we got we are ready to comply with any instructions given by the organization in the future.”