Agriculture Finds a Friend in Bill Gates
March 1, 2012 In his 2012 Annual Report to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, founder Bill Gates said, “It is shocking — not to mention short-sighted and potentially dangerous — how little money is spent on agricultural research.”
Gates stressed the need for innovation in agriculture. This report comes at a time when drought still prevails in Texas – the largest cotton-producing state in the U.S. – India and the balance of the U.S. have both lowered their cotton crop production projections for this season.
The report cited USDA statistics that showed there is a dwindling number of farmers in the developed countries, like the U.S. But in countries like India and Brazil, the percentage of agriculture workforce is as high as 56% in India, and 21% in Brazil.
The report points to the lack of funding for combating the increase in plant diseases, and emphasizes the need for more study on the effect of climate change on agricultural productivity.
Gates has insisted that the world must invest in new techniques to help farmers deal with weather impacts. He has urged the agriculture community to take advantage of new tools, such as genetic engineering, to accelerate the pace of plant research.
In Gates’s opinion, innovation in agriculture and other areas is the key to improve the world’s food and fiber needs. China, with regards to its effort in educating its farmers, is a positive.
The annual report focused on three major themes which included Innovation in Agriculture, Global Health and United States’ Education.
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