The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation views the CGIAR as a crucial partner in the fight against hunger and poverty, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The CGIAR’s proven track record in enhancing smallholder productivity growth has inspired the Foundation’s strategy for investing in smallholder agriculture as an engine of overall economic growth and welfare improvement. Our grant support to the CGIAR (committed and active proposals to date) for the 2009-13 period is around $400 million which is 80 million dollars per year. This number could rise as we receive additional proposals during this five year period. We support strategic and long-term R&D activities (in which the CGIAR has a unique comparative advantage) that result in outputs that have the potential to create transformational change in the lives of poor producers and consumers.

Read more on: BMGF statement to the CGIAR business meeting (PDF file – 141 KB)