In March, social media buzzes with campaigns and thoughtful reflections celebrating Women’s Month.
These moments matter because recognition matters. But what role do men play throughout the entire conversation about gender equity?
Traditionally, allyship has meant good intentions—sending supportive messages to colleagues or attending events.
Yet, real progress requires more—creating an environment where women truly belong and thrive, ensuring better outcomes for the farmers we serve.
And that realisation did not begin with a declaration, but with listening.
The turning point for me came in 2020. At One Acre Fund, the Covid-19 pandemic challenged us to rethink how we work.
Although a majority of the farmers we serve are women, most of our senior staff were men.
Addressing this required a genuine mindset shift from leadership to acknowledge this imbalance as a critical issue and we had to confront the systemic barriers preventing women from rising through our ranks.
We could not just say we wanted more women; we had to examine how our recruitment processes and workspaces unintentionally excluded them and completely overhaul our approaches.
The progress we have made since has been driven by incredible women leaders across our teams.
I have learned that part of allyship is knowing when not to get in the way, ensuring women have the space and authority to drive change themselves.
This agency led to impactful policies. In Malawi, our Planting Partners programme provides contract labour to support mothers with demanding farm tasks during pregnancy and after giving birth.
Internally, we improved our maternity policy to offer 104 days of leave, exceeding labour laws.
We now allow breastfeeding mothers who travel for business to bring a nanny, and provide a lodging stipend to ensure both mother and child are supported.
We also changed how we recruit field staff; within just two seasons, women’s representation increased from about 27 percent to 40 percent.
We learned that representation builds trust. When farmer-facing teams are male-dominated, women farmers are less likely to share challenges.
When women are represented in leadership, conversations change, revealing new opportunities and solutions.
Allyship in practice means actively dismantling barriers, but it is also about authentic sponsorship.
When team members bring forward scalable ideas to advance equity, a leader’s role is to say yes, clear the path, and empower them to lead.
We must apply this same lens across promotions and compensation. Equity can sometimes feel uncomfortable to those accustomed to status quo, but honest dialogue helps shift perspectives toward shared responsibility.
For those unsure where to start, my advice is simple: Go to Gemba! At One Acre Fund, we have made this famous Toyota practice a key pillar of our Culture Code. It means going where the real work happens.
Speak directly to women farmers and colleagues. Listen to lived experiences and gather real data.
While progress has been made, there is room for more. For men and leaders, the invitation is simple: listen intentionally, examine the systems you influence and sponsor talent rather than just praise it. When necessary, step aside so others can lead.
According to McKinsey, having 30 percent or more women in leadership is linked to a 48 percent performance advantage.
Including women’s voices makes organisations stronger and more innovative. From our experience, when women lead, everyone gains: The organisation grows stronger, communities thrive, and the impact we strive for becomes real.
Good intentions start the conversation, but real progress requires action.
About One Acre Fund
One Acre Fund is a social enterprise that provides smallholder farmers in Malawi with the resources they need to succeed. We provide high-quality inputs, including fertiliser and seeds, on both credit and cash bases, and train them in modern and sustainable farming practices to help them increase their yields and lift themselves out of poverty. We also provide tree seedlings.
