Pros
One Acre Fund does valuable work with smallholder farmers in Nigeria. However, their hiring practices in their area of operation raise serious concerns about inclusion.
Cons
While they do hire some locals for lower-level field positions (which are typically low-paying), even at this level there appears to be a strong preference for Christians, despite the fact that the vast majority of the local population in Northern Nigeria is Muslim. This already creates a mismatch with the communities being served. The issue becomes much more pronounced from middle management upwards. These better-paid roles are overwhelmingly dominated by Yoruba and Christian staff, with very limited representation of Northern Muslims or Hausa/Fulani ethnic groups. This pattern gives the impression that career growth and leadership opportunities are not equally accessible, and it weakens the organization’s ability to build deep trust and cultural understanding with the farmers they support.
