Acorn

Victor Murei (Picture 1) is a climate hero. He is one of almost 100,000 farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Colombia and Nicaragua who have been onboarded to carbon markets within our Climate Heroes programme. 🌱 Since 2022, the programme I manage has aimed to improve farmers’ resilience through agroforestry practices, technical support, and access to @Acorn. Two weeks ago, we gathered in Kitale, Kenya – with teams from across the globe (Picture 2) – to reflect, connect, and learn. Our shared goal: to take the programme to the next level by improving the quality of trainings and on-the-ground support. Because scale alone is not enough. Now, it’s all about: “Quality First: Strengthening Climate Heroes for lasting impact.” Some key takeaways and reflections: 🔁 Across countries, we’re facing similar challenges – which makes cross-country collaboration and shared learning so valuable. 🌐 Through South-South knowledge exchange – from Colombia and Nicaragua to Uganda and Kenya – we’re building a powerful learning ecosystem. This year, we were also excited to welcome peers from Peru and Tanzania to the conversation. 🧠 Our breakout sessions offered space for honest discussion and hands-on problem-solving, helping surface practical solutions that can be applied across contexts. As we shift from onboarding to delivering lasting impact, I’m deeply inspired by the drive and dedication of our field teams (Picture 3). One thing is clear: turning farmers into Climate Heroes takes more than trees. It requires curiosity, local leadership, and a culture of continuous learning. Proud to be part of this journey – and incredibly grateful to the Dutch Postcode Lottery for making it possible. 🌿 #ClimateHeroes #Agroforestry Acorn, Solidaridad East and Central Africa, Solidaridad Latinoamérica, Solidaridad Network, Cool Farm Alliance

Immensely proud to announce at #ArborDay that there are now over 40.000 cocoa and coffee farmers participating in Asombrate/Acorn in Colombia. An incredible journey that took us from an initial pilot with only 20 coffee farmers in Risaralda to a nationwide program in 21 departments, covering more than 75.000 hectares. Today Asombrate/ACORN is the largest smallholder-focused agroforestry carbon removal project in Colombia. Below some of the learnings and challenges during the scaling stage: 💡 Vision: From the very start, the vision of Asombrate has been to promote agroforestry as a versatile solution for farms to both adapt to climate impacts and to contribute to mitigation efforts. #Agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry technologies to create more integrated and profitable land-use systems. It goes beyond just #carbonreduction and #carbonremoval, offering better, long-term production results for farmers. 📋 Planning: Focus on simplifying interventions while maintaining effectiveness and adapting to regional conditions. Organizational capacity needs sufficient potential to grow at the pace of the users/clients, but also has to able to adapt to the required nuances: what works in one place or supply chain may not necessarily fit into another. 🛰️ Technology: The deployment of data collection tools, remote sensing and advanced analysis models has helped to generate better insights on the performance of participating farmers, crafting tailored interventions according to unique characteristics of each farmer. Technology brings down MRV costs, but changing on-farm behavior still relies on a set of in-person trainings, financial incentives and deep understanding of farmer needs. ✅ Quality: High-integrity carbon credits from agroforestry farms ensure that emissions reductions and removals are real, verifiable, and permanent. This involves adherence to rigorous standards and methodologies. However, this also implies higher investments and maintenance costs, putting pressure on the margin for participating farms. 🤝 Partnerships: To scale a climate solution for a whole country, you need partners. Collaboration flourishes when it is based on non-competitive criteria. The support of our valued partners in Asombrate has been crucial to build this ecosystem (Microsoft, Nationale Postcode Loterij, Compañía Nacional de Chocolates S.A.S, UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions), Federación Nacional de Cacaoteros Fedecacao, Lavazza, Rare, Swisscontact, Socodevi, Banco Agrario de Colombia, Red Cacaotera, Anei Coffee and many more). Last, but not least, credits to the Rabobank and Solidaridad Network Colombia teams: Jelmer van de Mortel, Martine Jansen, Isabel van Bemmelen, Paola López, Sicco Stortelder, Joost Hamelink, Carlos Hernando Isaza Ramirez, Juan Fernando G., Mauricio Garcia Duque, Jonathan Slim Mora, and our Asombrate field staff across Colombia! Join our journey! More info: asombrate.org

CLIMATE HEROES PARTNERS MEETING KENYA 2025 Quality First! 💯Last week, we met in Kitale, Kenya as part of the Climate Heroes Programme aiming to connect 100,000 smallholder farmers to the carbon markets – with strong local leadership from producers like Victor Murei (Picture 1) and Beverlyne Mbirira, who showcased impressive work and entrepreneurship on the ground: Building climate resilient agroforestry coffee production systems that directly enhance coffee quality and building his own coffee brand demonstrating the power of youth as a driver for change - with a lot of energy, commitment, persistence and fast self-learning – and yes, the quality under these systems is real (and delicious!). Our focus for the Climate Heroes Programme in 2025 is clear: Put quality of implementation at the forefront – to drive long-lasting impact. To make this happen, we took three days to reflect on where we stand and how to improve further. What stood out for me: 1. Despite working in different contexts, we face similar challenges at local level. The South South North exchange between Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru, Uganda, Kenya, Netherlands and Germany enables learning from each other and create a better quality of the entire program (Picture 3). 2. Youth and local entrepreneurship are key drivers of change. We need to strengthen our support for the next generation – highly motivated to learn and willing to invest long-term in coffee and agroforestry systems and building connections to markets (Picture 1). 3. Making carbon market work for smallholder farmers in consideration of high integrity principles comes at higher costs and delays, given the large amount of people we work - but results in higher quality and deserves a higher carbon pricing in the market.  4. While we already have close to 100,000 farmers onboarded to the Rabobank ACORN platform, more training, planting, and high-quality agroforestry implementation will be essential to reach our goals and to truly transform smallholder farmers to climate heroes. Grateful to be part of this movement – and proud of what’s already been achieved on the ground (Picture 4) and special thanks to the Dutch Postcode Lottery that makes it all possible. Dutch Postcode Lottery, Acorn, Solidaridad East and Central Africa, Solidaridad Latinoamérica, Solidaridad Network, Cool Farm Alliance, Martine Krabben, mugo kamau, Betty Musembi, María Durán, Geert Koster, Sharine Mertens, Paola López, Jelmer van de Mortel, Mauricio Garcia Duque, Joel Brounen, Juan Pablo Giraldo, Juan Fernando G., Al Cunningham, Lucette M., Vilma Bautista, An Ha, Noura Hanna, Rose Wawire, Austine Ochieng, Peter Ayara, Alex Amanya, Amodo Christopher, Stephen Kithuka

We’re excited to partner with Acorn to expand fair access to the carbon economy for smallholder cocoa and coffee farmers!    Despite making carbon credits possible through reforestation, land restoration, and incredible knowledge of local ecosystems, farmers are too often left out of the carbon economy, and don’t see returns for their work. Fair Trade USA CEO Felipe Arango helped create a partnership that puts farmers first. By partnering with Acorn, we ensure that 80% of returns from carbon credits go directly to farmers.     Fair Trade Community Development Funds are helping farmers invest in more projects that generate high-quality, verified carbon credits that can be sold in the global carbon economy. By linking this work with equitable carbon credit systems, we’re ensuring that farming isn’t just keeping forests standing, but actively regenerating land.    For more on the partnership:   https://lnkd.in/e8_YjBY4   #FairTradeUSA #Acorn #CarbonCredits #CarbonEconomy #CarbonOffsets

On #InternationalDayOfForests, the Hon’ble Minister of the Rural Development Department, Government of Jharkhand Mrs. Dipika Pandey Singh, met with senior officials from Rabobank, TRI, and Intellecap, including Mr. Harm Haverkort, Partnership Lead - Asia, Ms. Marta Radinović Lukić, Partnership Manager - Asia, and Mr. Ashok Kumar, Director - Farm Prosperity, TRIF. Through #BirsaHaritGramYojana & #MGNREGA, 46000+ farmers are now part of a carbon registry, ensuring long-term income via #CarbonCredits while advancing agroforestry. A step towards greener livelihoods & a sustainable future! Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this crucial discussion. We look forward to driving this impactful initiative forward! #SustainableFarming #Agroforestry #ClimateAction #RuralProsperity #Rabobank #Intellecap #TransformRuralIndia #TRI

Crimas is extremely excited about our partnership between Crimas FAO and Rabobank (ACORN) within the framework of agroforestry component of the Promove Agribiz project, funded by the European Union, that is being implemented in Nampula and Zambezia. 9 months have passed and the short and medium-term results in Zambezia are encouraging.

How can Acorn's #agroforestry-#carbonprogram contribute to the livelihoods of #smallholderfarmers living in rural regions of India? Panchami, a farmer from Badri Village, India, shares her story and the impact of the program for her farm. Farmers of the Jharkhand, like Panchami, already work together with our incredible local partners, Intellecap and Transform Rural India, as part of the state's MGNEGRA program, which provides resources to support rural farmers and their livelihood. In this video, Ravi Gupta, a manager at Intellecap's Carbon & Climate team, also explains how he sees the strength in combining the Acorn and MGNEGRA programs to help secure long-term environmental and social sustainability in these regions. This partnership is also made possible by the great teamwork from Acorn's Asia Partnerships Manager, Marta Radinović Lukić, as well as Nishanth Nandakumar Anne-Lot Kemna Harm Haverkort.

Yesterday, the County Government of Taita Taveta (CGTT) led by His Excellency Governor Dr. Andrew Mwadime, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Solidaridad East and Central Africa led by our Regional Managing Director Rachel Wanyoike and Kenya Country Manager Hellen Wanjiru. The purpose of the MoU is to establish a framework for cooperation between the parties to advance mutual objectives in agricultural transformation and locally led climate action. This includes collaboration in implementing the Acting Now for Food Security and Resilient Food Systems project, which aims to contribute to food systems resilience, by supporting producers to build more resilient farms and food systems that are prepared for future climate change impact and economic vulnerabilities. Key Solidaridad East and Central Africa interventions in the county include climate smart agriculture, water efficient drip irrigation infrastructure, facilitating farmer-led cooperatives/groups to transition to farmer service hubs for inclusive service delivery, aggregation and B2B engagements for inclusive market connections, gender and social inclusion and climate action through our partnership with Acorn to offset carbon through carbon trading of removal units (CRUs). His Excellency governor Mwadime recognized Solidaridad for its impactful farmer-first interventiosn and pledged his administration's support for the Acting Now project and rolling out of the Acorn carbon project. The signing of the MoU marks the crowning of a thoroughly participatory process and is a critical step in our strategic partnerships with like-minded stakeholders in driving #ChangeThatMatters. Wairimu Kung'u Boniface Kirago ROBERT MUIGANA

What a great honour to accompany the Climate Envoy of the Netherlands, His Royal Highness Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme during his visit to Colombia. Last week we had a unique occasion to not only discuss the progress made on the ground with our partners Cenipalma, IDH Colombia and Corporación APSColombia, to enable smallholder palm oil producers to better adapt to climate change, but also to highlight the mitigation contribution of the Acorn collaboration between Solidaridad Network Colombia and Rabobank on coffee and cocoa farms by removing #carbonemissions through #agroforestry, while regenerating soil health, conserving #biodiversity, restoring water quality and improving farmer incomes. It is encouraging to see a genuine dialogue between a global climate diplomacy leader and the local communities on the ground that lead the implementation of nature-based solutions. During a conversation with one of the Arhuaco spiritual leaders (so-called mamos), they explained their vision of their land, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta as a living organism, in which both material and spiritual relationships are structured. Peaks represent its head, the lagoons its eyes, rivers and streams its veins, the layers of soil are its muscles, and the trees are its hair. We discussed with the mamos the importance of Payment for Ecosystem Services (carbon, biodiversity, water) as a mechanism to expand the restoration of degraded land. But foremost, the need to balance agriculture and conservation, to sustain the livelihoods of rural communities in the future. Much appreciation for the work of ASOARHUACO SNSM, the support of Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken and the leadership of HRH Jaime de Bourbon de Parme.

We’re proud to share the prototype of our "Agroforestry Feasibility Tool", developed in partnership with Wageningen University & Research! 🌱 This dynamic, user-driven platform is designed to help transform agroforestry land-use planning, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions about potential agroforestry projects. This tool represents a big shift to interactive, customizable, context-sensitive planning. By integrating Acorn’s remote sensing expertise with research insights from Wageningen University, the interface allows users to prioritize the different metrics that are built into the tool’s step-by-step process, like soil conservation and water management. With continued collaboration from Professor Martha Bakker and Dr. Diego Valbuena, future plans for the tool include validating assumptions with field data, expanding the tool’s geographic scope, further development of the user interface, and adding further metrics to include biodiversity outcomes. A huge applause to our Geospatial Data Analyst, Tracy Chepkorir for leading this tool development at Acorn! 👏 Explore the tool yourself (link in the comments) Read more about the tool on our blog: https://lnkd.in/eyRpND9Z How do you see tools like this transforming land-use planning in your sector? #Sustainability #Innovation #Agroforestry #LandUsePlanning #TechForGood