Acorn

This week marked a significant milestone for the CGA-Acorn Agroforestry team, led by Project Manager Oswald Miriti and Project Officer Simon Mwinzi, as they gathered in Naivasha for a Planning and Review Meeting under the theme "Laying a Firm Foundation for the Future." These planning and review meetings are crucial to the team's success, providing a structured opportunity for members to unite and align on their goals and objectives. The team engaged in comprehensive discussions to map out strategic plans for upcoming projects and initiatives. They also reflected on past performances, celebrating successes while identifying areas for improvement. This collaborative process not only establishes clear directions for future projects but also strengthens the team's unity and commitment. #TogetherWeGrow Anthony Kioko, Vyonne mukami

Sowing dreams in Mozambique! Acorn is a proud partner of the PROMOVE Agribiz project from FAO.

Very proud of our partner Solidaridad Network Colombia on how they are explaining all interested Coffee and Cocoa farmers about our work at Rabobank Acorn or ‘Asombrate’, the name of our program in Colombia!

Sharing my favorite portraits & BTS of my last Acorn film trip with Rainforest Alliance in Vietnam. Here are the people behind the portraits: Farmer Truong Thi Mâu and Farmer Doàn Van Thính, who warmly welcomed us into their home with some fresh durian and coconut water from their farm. They showed us the various crops they are growing on their coffee plot before walking us over to their fish pond, where Farmer Doàn jumped onto his raft to feed his fish. In the photos, you can also see them planting new seedlings and taking care of their pepper plant. After an interview on their coffee plantation, Farmer Uê and Farmer Angak showed us how they fetch water from the community water stream. They also invited us to eat lunch together in their family home. Farmer Angak’s steamed sticky rice was 5/5. In the photos, you can see Farmer Uê standing among his coffee plants and Farmer Angak preparing a seedling for planting. Farmer Duòng Vàn Nghiêm proudly welcomed us with sweet bananas grown on his coffee plantation. He happily showed us around his plot before sharing his experience in an interview amongst his banana ‘trees’. In the photos, you can see the pride he takes in his crops. Farmer Rochum invited us for tea in his family home before driving us to his coffee plot. He shared his experience in an interview, while sitting on the stairs of his sturdy shed. In the photo, you can see him planting a seedling in the rain. Farmers of Gia Lai Province at a cozy, but informative outdoor training session. And then of course, my travel companions:  🌰 Cathy Tran & Indira G., my amazing Acorn colleagues 🐸 Nguyen Tran Quyen, Thiet Nguyen, our generous Rainforest Alliance guides for the week 📸 Khien, our incredible camera guy 👨🌾 Ho and Diep, our new friends at Vinh Hiep and TTD, who work directly with farmers in the field

Walking through the coffee fields this past week has been an incredible experience! 🌱 **How can agroforestry support farmers adapt to a changing climate and drive the crucial shift toward climate resilience?** 🌳These are the conversations that fuel our work and keep us moving forward! I’m grateful to be a part of the journey with Acorn over the past 2.5 years— accelerating the shift to agroforestry and supporting smallholder farmers in building resilience against climate challenges. This journey has taken me from East Africa to Latin America, learning firsthand from partners working at the forefront of climate adaptation. As Partnerships Manager, it’s an honour to work alongside dedicated local partners who continually strive for meaningful impact. Acorn’s foundation is built on these partnerships, with experts in sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, and farmer support leading the way to climate resilience. While there’s still much to learn, I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow alongside our partners, passionate farmers, and mission-driven colleagues. To connect more closely with our Latin American partners, I’m currently based in Mexico City, deepening my understanding of the unique challenges coffee producers face in a shifting climate. Let’s keep the conversation going—reach out if you’re around! 🌍

Happy to be organizing this event, hope to see you on the 28th!🌿 This event is specifically for companies looking to integrate voluntary carbon credits into their sustainability strategy. Whether you’re an experienced user or new to the market, this is a unique opportunity to gather information and network with peers. Don't forget to register through the link, as the event is for invites only.

At Acorn , we continue to have high climate ambitions for smallholder farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean. By promoting and incentivizing sustainable agricultural practices such as agroforestry, we envision a future of better crop yields, protection from extreme weather conditions and increased biodiversity for farmers. I am proud to have contributed to this joint VCMI and IICA report as we jointly advance our goals in the region . Thanks to PAC, Daniel Ortega Pacheco and Lorenzo Wong for all your hard work 🧑🌾🌎🌴

🌍 Acorn is committed to improving #genderequity across the voluntary carbon market. We’re excited to announce our contributions to the vital new guide produced by Work and Opportunities for Women (WOW) program, which supports project developers with ‘Integrating gender into the design, implementation, and monitoring of carbon credit projects.’ With insights from our projects in Malawi and metrics for tracking progress, we aim to empower women and enhance project outcomes. As Acorn’s own Tanyaradzwa Tawha says, “Inclusion is a human right. This guide helps ensure that women are not only included but empowered to lead and make decisions that impact their lives.”  📖 Read about the full guide on our Acorn website: https://lnkd.in/e_7bSgMC

🌍 Reflecting on an Inspiring Trip to Kenya Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to spend three days in Embu, where I visited two amazing Acorn Local Partners: Farm Africa and Trees for Kenya. During my time there, I worked on outstanding topics and collaborated on their annual reports. A highlight was witnessing Farm Africa’s impressive seedling distribution operation, where they provided seedlings to 215 farmers just before the rainy season. These farmers, who opted for 50% of their carbon removal units (CRUs) payment in-kind, received a variety of seedlings, including macadamia, avocado, and mango. It was remarkable to see five trucks filled with these vital resources! I also visited Trees for Kenya’s demo farm, where they are pioneering agroforestry practices through a farmer field school. It was inspiring to see the progress made since my last visit in February, when they had just acquired the land. Now, they have bees, a fish pond, and a diverse range of agroforestry species flourishing! My trip concluded in Nairobi, celebrating Rabobank Kenya’s 10th Anniversary. It was a fantastic day filled with golf, padel, and networking with local partners. The evening featured an inspiring talk from rugby legend Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, alongside words from the General Manager of Rabobank Kenya on the impact that Rabobank makes in Africa. I’m grateful for the experiences and connections made during this trip, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of these Acorn projects! 🌳 #Kenya #Agroforestry #Sustainability #Acorn #smallholderfarmers

To celebrate our new partnership with Rainforest Alliance, Cathy Tran (our Asia Partnerships Manager) sat down with Thiet Nguyen (Vietnam Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance) to discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing #agroforestry with Vietnam smallholder #coffeefarmers. Watch the full video on Youtube (link in the comments). We look forward to working together with Rainforest Alliance and their farming communities! 🌱