One Acre Fund (OAF) works in East Africa supplying smallholder farmers with training services, asset-based loaning of seeds, fertilizer and market facilitation. The organization, which is headquartered in Kenya, delivers these services directly to rural villages in not only Kenya but Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.

During the US-Africa Summit in Washington D.C., the social enterprise received $1 million to expand its Kenyan operations as a part of a women’s economic initiative sponsored by the Walmart Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

This funding will be used to train an additional 40,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya of which 28,000 will be women. It also includes post-harvest support, which is expected to result in a higher crop yield, possibly doubling incomes in one planting season.

According to OAF spokeswomen Jenny Best, farmers have the power to reduce hunger and poverty. Through training, farmers improve chances of heightening crop yields; through better agricultural practices and direct access to necessary tools, farmers influence changes in community empowerment.

AFKInsider spoke with Best about OAF’s mission, why more than others farmers live in poverty as well as helping farmers build financial foundations.

AFKInsider: What is the significance of smallholder farmers in East Africa and what type of obstacles do they face that block their success?

Jenny Best: Smallholder farmers are the answer to hunger and poverty. Over 70 percent of the world’s hungry and poor are farmers. It’s a tragic irony.  Smallholder farmers are some of the hardest-working people on the planet, but they live in remote places and have little access to the resources and training they need. Quality seed, soil nutrients and training services are not only unaffordable for many smallholder farmers, they are physically inaccessible. Further, in the absence of basic infrastructure and irrigation, many smallholder farmers rely on a simple hand hoe and the rain to farm. As a result, they struggle to grow enough food to feed their families and face an annual hunger season of meal-skipping.

AFKInsider: How does One Acre Fund obtain its financing that is then distributed to farmers?

Jenny Best: Much of our income is generated through client repayments and we are working to become financially sustainable in that way. Currently, 73 percent of our field operating costs are covered by farmer repayments. Other funding sources include institutional funders, bilaterals and family foundations — and the majority of those funds are allocated to expand operations.

We measure success in our ability to make more smallholder farmers more prosperous. Our program was built to maximize both impact and scale and we are growing as fast as we can. No farmer should go hungry.

AFKInsider: What type of training services does your staff offer farmers?

Jenny Best: Farmers that work with One Acre Fund receive around 20 field-based agriculture trainings within walking distance of their homes. Farmers learn how to manage ​land and soil nutrients, to increase yields with proven planting techniques, and to maximize market prices and minimize post-harvest losses with improved storage practices. The results are clear: on average, farmers working with One Acre Fund realize more than a 100 percent return on their investment and significantly increase farm productivity and income.

AFKInsider: Do farmers seek out OAF or does your organization scout regions for struggling farmers?

Jenny Best: It is a bit of both. We’ve certainly situated​ our operations in areas that have high numbers of struggling smallholder farmers. In many cases, neighbors of farmers we work with will see the improved harvests and become interested in joining. When one neighbor’s maize is much taller and the harvest more bountiful, word gets around!

AFKInsider: What happens when crops fail for a variety of reasons? Drought? Soil issues etc., where farmers are unable to repay due to poor harvests?

Jenny Best: Environmental or financial shocks, such as a drought or unexpected medical fees,​can devastate a farm family. When you are struggling to grow enough food to eat and have no financial capital to lean on, any negative impact can completely pull the rug out from underneath you. That’s why it’s important to offer farmers a complete set of services, including insurance. For example, in Kenya, One Acre Fund’s loan package includes both drought and funeral insurance. Last year, however, 99 percent of One Acre Fund farmers repaid their loans in full and on time.