As part of a Devex series exploring the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's top grantees, we’re turning our attention to its agriculture work. Our analysis shows the foundation allocated $5.6 billion for 1,105 agricultural development-related grants from 2003 to June 2021. Of this, almost $2 billion, covering 472 grants, went to U.S.-based organizations, while Kenyan organizations were the next most funded, with $972 million for 79 grants. Overall, African organizations received a quarter of the Gates Foundation’s total allocation for agricultural development — $1.4 billion for 226 grants. Devex has identified the top grantees in this sector. While two multilateral institutions — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Food Programme — were among the top grantees, these were excluded from the list to focus on private and not-for-profit organizations. Half of the top grantees are based in two high-income countries — the U.S. and U.K. — while the rest are based in Kenya, Nigeria, India, and the Philippines. These top 10 grantees represent 41% of the Gates Foundation’s total grant-making for agriculture since 2003. 1. AGRA Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya Established: 2006 Number of grants: 20 Total value of grants: $638.2 million The grants the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa received ranged from supporting farmers across Africa to capacity building and operational support to the organization. Its biggest grant — worth $200 million — was awarded in 2017 for increasing the productivity and incomes of at least 30 million farming households in the Africa region. Among the other top grants include $156 million to increase access to fertilizers and soil fertility management practices and $97 million to increase access to crop varieties, both across Africa. 2. CIMMYT Headquarters: Texcoco, Mexico Established: 1966 Number of grants: 29 Total value of grants: $346.4 million The grants awarded to the Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo served countries across Africa, Asia, and South America, ranging from plant breeding programs to attaining food and income security to end hunger in sub-Saharan Africa. Its biggest grant, awarded in 2020, worth $46 million, aims to improve the quality of maize and wheat varieties in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. 3. IFPRI Headquarters: Washington D.C., U.S. Established: 1975 Number of grants: 34 Total value of grants: $202 million The International Food Policy Research Institute was awarded three grants worth over $20 million each — $45 million for the development of biofortified crops; $40 million for breeding and disseminating staple food crops; and $25 million to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. The three grants would benefit low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa. 4. Cornell University Headquarters: New York, U.S. Established: 1865 Number of grants: 25 Total value of grants: $193.3 million The grants awarded to Cornell University were mostly for scientific research aimed at improving agricultural products and processes. Among these, the biggest grant worth $30 million was awarded in 2017 for the development of cassava breeding programs in Africa. 5. IRRI Headquarters: Los Baños, Philippines Established: 1960 Number of grants: 15 Total value of grants: $186.9 million The grants awarded to the International Rice Research Institute were mostly aimed at increasing the production and quality of rice in Africa and Asia, while the rest were for organizational support. Its biggest grant worth $35 million was awarded in 2018 to unify rice breeding efforts in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. 6. AATF Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya Established: 2003 Number of grants: 13 Total value of grants: $170.2 million The African Agricultural Technology Foundation started winning agriculture-related grants from 2008, ranging from hybrid crop breeding to seed production and knowledge sharing on agricultural biotechnology, mostly in Africa and South Asia. One of its biggest awards was in 2012 — a $50 million grant for the development and distribution of maize hybrids in Africa. The most recent award was a $5 million grant in 2020 to address seed availability. 7. GALVmed Headquarters: Edinburgh, U.K. Established: 2004 Number of grants: 9 Total value of grants: $168.6 million The biggest grant awarded to Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines was $41 million in 2011 to develop solutions for diseases that affect livestock in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. That was followed by a $40 million grant on new livestock vaccine development in 2017. It also won two awards in 2014 and 2018 for the development of drugs against Animal Africana Trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa worth a total of $30 million. 8. IITA Headquarters: Oyo State, Nigeria Established: 1967 Number of grants: 29 Total value of grants: $166.7 million The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture started winning agriculture-related grants in 2008 focused on Africa. The biggest award was in 2015 — $16 million for agronomic research to improve crop management in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda. In 2020, it won five awards worth a total of $28 million for work on plant breeding systems, sustainable seed systems, and agronomy research mostly for yams and cassava crops. 9. ICRISAT Headquarters: Patancheruvu, India Established: 1972 Number of grants: 13 Total value of grants: $151.1 million The biggest award the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics received was $34 million in 2018 to modernize the Africa-focused international breeding and seed systems program in partnership with IITA and the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical. 10. TechnoServe, Inc. Headquarters: Virginia, U.S. Established: 1968 Number of grants: 14 Total value of grants: $97.8 million Focused on smallholder farmers mostly in Africa, TechnoServe started to win grant awards from the Gates Foundation in 2007. One significant grant it received was $46 million to help entrepreneurs in low-income rural areas build agriculture businesses in 2007. Two other grants worth a total of $19 million focused on coffee farmers and the industry in East Africa. Try out Devex Pro Funding today with a free 5-day trial, and explore funding opportunities from over 850+ sources in addition to our analysis and news content.
As part of a Devex series exploring the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's top grantees, we’re turning our attention to its agriculture work. Our analysis shows the foundation allocated $5.6 billion for 1,105 agricultural development-related grants from 2003 to June 2021.
Of this, almost $2 billion, covering 472 grants, went to U.S.-based organizations, while Kenyan organizations were the next most funded, with $972 million for 79 grants. Overall, African organizations received a quarter of the Gates Foundation’s total allocation for agricultural development — $1.4 billion for 226 grants.
Devex has identified the top grantees in this sector. While two multilateral institutions — the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Food Programme — were among the top grantees, these were excluded from the list to focus on private and not-for-profit organizations. Half of the top grantees are based in two high-income countries — the U.S. and U.K. — while the rest are based in Kenya, Nigeria, India, and the Philippines.
This story is forDevex Promembers
Unlock this story now with a 15-day free trial of Devex Pro.
With a Devex Pro subscription you'll get access to deeper analysis and exclusive insights from our reporters and analysts.
Start my free trialRequest a group subscription Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).
Janadale Leene Coralde works as a contributing analyst for Devex. Based in Manila she reports on development donors activities and designs funding data visualisations. She has a degree in political economy, specializing in international relations and development, and has previously worked as a researcher for Chemonics, the REID foundation, and the Philippines House of Representatives.
Miguel Tamonan is a Senior Development Analyst at Devex, where he analyzes data from public and private donors to produce content and special reports for Pro and Pro Funding readers. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a Major in International Relations from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
