Bill Gates invests in project to create 'supercrops' and higher-yielding dairy cows
THE UK has joined forces with billionaire businessman Bill Gates to help bring farmers closer to producing “supercrops”, higher-yielding dairy cows and chickens which lay better quality eggs.
They announced funding for the innovative agricultural projects in Scotland on Friday.
Researchers’ work could lead to crops that can withstand droughts and disease and cows that can produce more milk.
The Department for International Development and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have invested £122.8m into the projects, which could help farmers around the world. ”If you care about the poor, you should care about agriculture,” Gates said in an address at the University of Edinburgh.
“And if you care about agriculture, you care about livestock. What that means in this context is helping poor farmers get as much as possible out of their animals.”
The Microsoft founder emphasised the importance of healthy livestock as a source of nutrition and money.
Mr Gates’ foundation will invest £28.2m into projects aimed at developing vaccines for animals which are accessible to poorer, small-scale farmers across the continent of Africa and South Asia through the Edinburgh-based charity Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines.
Skynews