Bill Gates recently gave his first major address on agriculture. He spoke at the World Food Prize Symposium in Iowa last month. The World Food Prize was the vision of Dr. Norman Borlaug.
Bill Gates praised the legacy of Dr. Borlaug and spoke about the need for the next Green Revolution, especially in Africa. He said that agriculture needs to embrace both sustainability and technology, including biotechnology. And he emphasized that "the next Green Revolution must be guided by small-holder farmers." He used the word "small" 21 times in his speech. And he announced grants totaling $120 million to nine institutions around the world from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (press release).
Speaking of Dr. Borlaug, Bill Gates said that "he proved that farming has the power to lift up the lives of the poor."
Click here for more information about the symposium. Here is a link to Bill Gates' speech.
