The Gates Foundation is to announce its goals for the next 15 years. “Among them: financing programs to help Africa feed itself,” says the New York Times. Farm productivity is lower in Africa than elsewhere. “The foundation plans to finance more scientific research, new programs to disseminate that research (especially to female farmers, who particularly struggle), better food storage and more mobile phones, all with the goal of lifting African agriculture,” says the Times. “A more efficient agricultural sector, the Gateses write in their annual letter about their work, ‘can drive massive poverty reduction and improve life across the continent.'”
The annual letter by Bill and Melinda Gates that spells out foundation goals is available here. The section on agriculture in Africa is part two of the letter.