News in brief:
– One Acre Fund has planted 9.5 million trees, benefiting about 47.5 million Nigerians by improving air quality.
– The organisation plans to plant over 100 million trees in the next decade to restore land and enhance food security.
One Acre Fund Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods, has planted 9.5 million trees to enhance oxygen levels across Nigeria. This initiative is expected to benefit about 47.5 million people—nearly the entire population of Southwest Nigeria, including Lagos.
Emmanuel Bamgboye, Field Operations Lead at One Acre Fund, highlighted the organisation’s journey since its inception in 2018, starting with just 150 farmers in Niger State. Over the years, it has expanded to include tree planting, rural retail, market access, and extension services to meet farmers’ evolving needs.
Beyond afforestation, One Acre Fund’s credit program has generated approximately $40 million (₦60 billion) in additional profit for farmers over the last five years. Bamgboye noted that this extra income could fund the education of 400,000 children for an entire year.
Looking ahead, One Acre Fund aims to support at least 50% of farming households in Nigeria in building resilient agricultural systems and diversified income sources. The organisation also plans to plant over 100 million trees in the next decade and a cumulative total of 250 million trees, helping to restore degraded land, improve soil fertility, and strengthen farmers’ climate resilience.
Despite these achievements, Nigeria still faces an annual maize production gap exceeding 4 million metric tons. Bamgboye acknowledged the challenge but reaffirmed One Acre Fund’s commitment to empowering smallholder farmers and ensuring a more sustainable, food-secure future for the nation.
