The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation joined with the Rockefeller Foundation to launch a new development initiative for sub-Saharan Africa that they said would revolutionize food production and reduce hunger and poverty for tens of millions of people.
Modeled on the Rockefeller-pioneered "green revolution" that transformed farming methods and staved off widespread famine in much of the developing world nearly a half-century ago, the initiative coincides with a new round of Western concern about the long-intractable problems of the poorest continent.
Home to 16 of the 18 most undernourished countries, Africa is the only part of the world where food production has decreased in recent years. At the same time, political upheaval and conflict there are seen as providing fertile ground for extremists.
Widespread famine in Africa has spurred high-profile relief efforts over the years, from United Nations programs to celebrity fundraising concerts such as Live Aid in the 1980s and Live 8 last year.
The alliance is the first Gates venture into poverty and development after years of focusing largely on global health and education. Gates has said he will step down from direct management of Microsoft in 2008 to work full time on foundation activities.
[Excerpt of an article by Karen DeYoung, The Washington Post]
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