23/09/2025
Bill Gates has been a prominent advocate for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture, particularly in Africa. His involvement in GMO development and promotion is multifaceted ¹:
- *Funding and Research*: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested heavily in GMO research, including grants for projects like genetically engineered dairy cows and genome-editing technologies. They've spent over $40 million on projects to genetically engineer dairy cows and $5 billion on efforts to transform African agriculture through the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
- *Partnerships and Collaborations*: Gates has partnered with major agrichemical companies like Bayer and Syngenta to promote GMO adoption. His foundation has also collaborated with organizations like the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) to develop and commercialize GMO crops, such as the TELA Maize Variety in Nigeria.
- *Advocacy and Promotion*: Gates has publicly spoken about the potential benefits of GMOs in addressing global food security challenges, climate change, and poverty. However, his advocacy has been met with criticism from some who argue that GMOs pose risks to human health, biodiversity, and the environment.
Some notable examples of Gates' involvement in GMO initiatives include ¹ ²:
- *TELA Maize Variety*: A genetically modified maize variety developed with funding from the Gates Foundation and launched in Nigeria to boost maize production.
- *Ginkgo Bioworks*: A Gates-backed startup that uses genetic engineering to develop custom organisms for various applications, including food production.
- *Impossible Foods*: A company that produces plant-based meat alternatives using genetically engineered soy and yeast, also backed by Gates.
Critics argue that Gates' promotion of GMOs ¹ ³ ⁴:
- *Overemphasizes technological solutions*: While neglecting more holistic approaches to agricultural development, such as agroecology.
- *Fosters dependency on multinational corporations*: By promoting patented GMO seeds and agrichemicals.
- *Poses risks to human health and the environment*: Through the potential for unforeseen consequences of genetic modification.
