Planting now · Zomba, Malawi
Supporting small-holder farmers in Malawi to diversify their income streams and restore their land by planting trees and practising sustainable agricultural practices.
Trees play a critical role in supporting environmental health. They enrich soil, prevent erosion, improve water retention, and capture carbon. Since 2006, One Acre Fund has helped farmers plant more than 440 million trees across Africa and is working toward a goal of one billion trees by 2030. In Malawi, where nearly 70% of the population lives below the international poverty line, most families rely on small-scale agriculture yet face increasing climate shocks that threaten both incomes and food security.
This project will support the planting of 2 million trees in Malawi. Farmers will receive high-quality seedlings and hands-on training to integrate a mix of tree species into their croplands, restoring soil fertility, improving yields, and building long-term resilience. This includes an expanding portfolio of fruit trees, such as mango and avocado, designed to help ensure more consistent, year-round food availability while supporting climate mitigation and strengthening the long-term health of Malawi’s agricultural landscapes.
Project notes from Ecologi, our planting partner for this site.
Supporting small-holder farmers in Malawi
Zomba, Malawi
For smallholder households, trees provide both immediate and lasting benefits. By improving soil and microclimates, they boost and stabilize crop yields, strengthening food security and income. Through training and support, farmers also build lasting skills in agroforestry and climate-smart agriculture. One Acre Fund works to ensure these benefits reach all farmers, particularly women, who often face greater barriers to productivity and climate resilience. By expanding access to higher-value, fruit-bearing tree species, the program supports improved nutrition, strengthens women’s economic participation, and promotes more resilient, equitable rural livelihoods.
The introduction of trees into croplands restores ecosystem health at the farm level and across the wider landscape. Trees rebuild soil fertility, improve water retention, and reduce erosion, reversing decades of land degradation. By planting a diverse mix of tree species, farmers create habitats that support pollinators, improve biodiversity, and reestablish ecological functions that have been lost. This transformation turns depleted fields into thriving, regenerative ecosystems capable of supporting both agricultural production and natural life.
Planting 2 million trees will strengthen climate resilience across Malawi. As the trees grow, they will sequester carbon, improve the fertility of farmers’ soil, and reduce pressure on natural forests. Integrating a diverse mix of species into agricultural fields also helps buffer crops from drought, heat stress, and erratic rainfall, making smallholder farms more resilient over time. At the same time, fruit-bearing trees contribute to improved household nutrition by expanding access to year-round food sources. In one of the highest-need contexts where One Acre Fund operates, this approach serves as both an environmental safeguard and a foundation for more resilient, food-secure livelihoods.
The most recent of the 501 trees planted here for somebody's pet.
Trees planted with us this week go to sites like this one, with your pet's name on it.
