Gates commits billions to helping smallholder farmers

Bill Gates has pledged $1.4 billion through his foundation to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia adapt to the growing threat of extreme weather.

Over the next four years, the investment will fund technologies that boost crop yields, improve livestock farming, and restore degraded land, while expanding access to digital advisory tools.

The initiative, announced recently, seeks to strengthen food security and climate resilience among farmers who produce over a third of the world’s food yet receive less than 1% of climate finance. By strengthening agricultural resilience, the foundation aims to combat poverty and climate change through practical, human-centered innovation.