Bill Gates to Unveil Challenge to Advance Agricultural Development

Saidi Yitu stands in a field outside his family's house in the Tanzanian village of Mkambarani. His family's crop yields have increased dramatically since first purchasing maize seed from Tanseed, a program of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. Surplus bags of maize harvested from their family's farm last year have helped them build a new house, which is still being constructed. Photo by: Gates Foundation / CC BY-NC-ND

U.S. billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates will announce on Monday (May 9) a challenge that aims to help small farmers in poor countries grow and sell more products.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-founder is expected to encourage people to help spread the word: investing in small farmers so they can boost their production is key to reducing poverty and hunger, Devex was told in an email.

The challenge is linked to remarks Gates is expected to deliver at a global agricultural development conference to be held May 24 in Washington D.C. The conference will also feature U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Rajiv Shah and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

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