As the world grapples with the complexities of food security, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's agricultural interventions in Africa have come under intense scrutiny. Once seen as a beacon of hope for agricultural innovation, Gates’ “green revolution” has left many African communities facing dire consequences. With increasing reports of severe hunger and the erosion of traditional farming practices, African leaders are raising their voices in unison, warning that the foundation's approach is not just failing but actively harming the continent's food systems.
TPV: The Gates Foundation have been accused of causing a spike in severe hunger across the African continent as the disastrous consequences of Bill Gates’ “green revolution” come home to roost.
In a powerful statement directed at the Gates Foundation, African leaders from farming, environmental, and faith communities are sounding the alarm about Bill Gates’ malign influence on the daily lives of people in Africa.
These leaders argue that Gates’ personal vision and agricultural model has failed Africa, driving 30% more people into severe hunger and jeopardizing traditional farming practices and food security.
Organized by the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), over 150 signatories claim Bill Gates’ agricultural model has driven 30% more people into severe hunger while undermining traditional farming practices and food security.
Gates’ obsession with synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and commercial seeds (designed to be “single use” so farmers cannot propagate them) has left small-scale farmers in debt and completely dependent on Bill Gates and his foundation.
In parts of African including Kenya, farmers can now face prison time for saving or sharing non-Gates seeds.
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| Bill Gates has made Africa his personal laboratory in which he conducts experiments upon the local population before rolling out his products for the rest of the world |
According to a study by Timothy A. Wise from Tufts University, severe hunger in AGRA’s countries rose by 30% since the Gates Foundation’s interventions in 2018, with only modest yield increases that often came at a high financial cost to farmers.
“Farmers now find themselves dependent on synthetic fertilizers,” says Million Belay of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA).
“In Ethiopia, farmers say their soil is ‘corrupted,’ meaning they’re unable to produce food without chemicals.” Many farmers’ debts have increased, with some forced to cut back on food and education for their families.
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| Bill Gates is fast becoming public enemy number one in Africa |
Critics argue that AGRA’s policies not only increase poverty but also restrict farmers’ independence by criminalizing traditional practices like seed-saving. AGRA’s push to reshape local agricultural laws has made seed-sharing punishable by jail in places like Kenya, favoring corporate interests over local autonomy.
“AGRA’s approach prioritizes a Western, corporate vision for agriculture,” says Tim Schwab, author of The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire.
AGRA partners with global agribusiness giants like Bayer-Monsanto and Syngenta, who stand to profit enormously, while African farmers bear the costs. The SAFCEI letter calls for a return to sustainable, locally-driven agricultural solutions that respect African land and traditions.
With Africa’s experience as a cautionary tale, many fear that this industrial agriculture model could expand globally, prioritizing profit over people and pushing small farmers worldwide into a cycle of dependency and debt.
Recent criticisms highlight the Gates Foundation's influence on agricultural policies in Africa, particularly through its Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Reports indicate a notable 30% rise in severe hunger since 2018, coinciding with the foundation's push for synthetic fertilizers and commercial seeds that bind farmers to debt and dependency. Local farmers, facing legal consequences for seed-saving practices, have voiced concerns over soil degradation and the loss of traditional knowledge. Many fear that this model, prioritizing corporate interests and profit over local autonomy, could become a global trend, further marginalizing small-scale farmers worldwide.
