While traveling in western Kenya between his two years of business school, Andrew Youn had an experience that would alter his career trajectory. He met two farmers⁠ with a vast disparity between their yields. Andrew saw that the first farmer, whose yield was two tons on one acre, was successful by planting her seeds very carefully and using correct practice and a little bit of seed and fertilizer. Andrew was shocked by how simple the solution was. He knew that the second farmer, who yielded four times less food, should not have to go hungry herself because of a lack of resources and training.

Andrew knew there must be a way to level the playing field—and One Acre Fund was born. One Acre Fund provides environmentally responsible seed and fertilizer delivery and financial and agricultural training.

With Echoing Green’s early-stage support in 2006, One Acre Fund has since gone on to serve more than 750K farm families annually. On average, farmers in One Acre Fund’s program increase their income by about 50 percent. The organization has achieved the ultimate goal of a non-profit: a proven, easily scalable, and highly effective model for improving quality of life. Andrew is a 2006 Echoing Green Fellow.

Find Andrew on the Fellow Directory