Who could use the headright system to acquire land for himself and work growing crops?

The headright system was a land grant program designed to attract settlers. It was first used in Jamestown, Virginia in 1618. Under this system, any settler who paid his own way to Virginia would receive 50 acres of land for free.

So, to answer your question, anyone who could afford to pay for their own passage to the New World, specifically Virginia, could use the headright system to acquire land. This included English settlers, indentured servants, and later, wealthy individuals who could afford to pay for the passage of many individuals and thus acquire a large amount of land.

Once the land was acquired, the individual could then use it for various purposes, including growing crops. This system was particularly beneficial for tobacco farmers, as it provided them with the large amounts of land needed for their crops.