AGRA Watch Media

Documentation of AGRA Watch Research

Corporate-Led Climate Adaptation: How the Gates Foundation, Microsoft, and AGRA are enabling the digital capture of African Food Systems 2023 (19 pages)

African Agricultural Development … for the US? An Analysis of the Distribution of Gates Foundation Grants 2022 (14 pages)

Messengers of Gates’ Agenda: A Case Study of the Cornell Alliance for Science Global Leadership Fellows Program 2020 PDF (34 pages)

En Français: L’Agenda des Messagers de Gates-Une étude de cas du « Programme de Leadership Mondial » de la Cornell Alliance for Science 2020 PDF (36 pages)

The Man Behind the Curtain-The Gates Foundation’s Influence on the UN Food Systems Summit 2020 PDF (5 pages)

En Français: L’homme derrière le rideau: L’influence de la Fondation Gates sur le Sommet des Nations Unies sur les systèmes alimentaires 2020 PDF (5 pages)

Wageningen University and Research Foundation and the Gates Foundation: A Case Study 2016 PDF

Anchor Farm Project: The Clinton Foundation’s Link to AGRA/BMGF CAGJ Blog Post- 2016

Three examples of problems with Gates Foundation grants  CAGJ Blog Post- 2014

Gates Foundation Links to Monsanto and GE Crops Development in Kenya (2010) PDF

The Revolving Door Monsanto Gates Links (2010) PDF

AGRA Watch Fact Sheet (.DOC) (For 8.25.10 Press Release)

CAGJ’s Map of AGRA Grantee Countries [PDF]

Articles & Books by AGRA Watch Authors

Philanthrocapitalism: The Gates Foundation’s African programmes are not charity. By Phil Bereano. Third World Resurgence, No. 328, pp 2-5. (December 2017)

Yes, we have no bananas‘. By Matt Canfield and Phil Bereano. Third World Resurgence, No. 292, pp. 2-4. (December 2014).

Written Evidence Submitted by Ian Panton. (AW member cited in testimony to UK House of Commons) By Ian Panton, WorldWatch (February 23, 2014).

Bill’s Excellent African Adventure: A Tale of Technocratic Agroindustrial Philanthrocapitalism. By Phil Bereano, GeneWatch, Vol 26, no. 1 (Feb  2013).

Philanthropy and Sovereignty: A Critical Feminist Exploration of the Gates Foundation’s Approach to Gender and Agricultural Development. By Ashley Fent (Fall 2012). [PDF]

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA): Advancing the Theft of African Genetic Wealth. By Carol Thompson, Review of African Political Economy (London), 39/132 (June 2012):  345-50. [DOC]

In Kenya, Farmers Grow Their Own Way. CAGJ’s Director Heather Day and AGRA Watch researcher Travis English traveled to Kenya in February 2010 to learn about the so-called new green revolution in Africa, to research AGRA, and to meet with farmers pursuing alternatives.This article documents how “Thousands of grassroots, African-led efforts are building locally rooted alternatives to the chemical agriculture promoted by the Gates Foundation and Monsanto”. By Heather Day and Travis English, Yes! Magazine (October 4, 2010).

Debating the Ethics of Biotechnology: An Interview with Philip Bereano
By Matt Styslinger, Nourishing the Planet Project (2010).

Looking in a Gift Horse’s Mouth.  “The persistence of food crises and food price volatility has spawned some false solutions. The most notable of these is the ‘New Green Revolution for Africa’, launched by the philanthropic foundation established by Microsoft founder Bill Gates. As Philip L Bereano and Travis M English reveal, this revolution may not be so green after all”. By Philip L Bereano and Travis M English, Third World Resurgence Network, No. 240/241, (August-September 2010), pp 44-48.

“Standing Up for Food Sovereignty: AGRA Watch Position Paper on Lugar-Casey Global Food Security Act, Genetic Engineering, and the Gates Foundation” (May 18th, 2010) [PDF].

Open Letter to Paul Collier, in response to “Politics of Hunger Open Letter to Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University, UK, in response to “Politics of Hunger,” Foreign Affairs (USA), November-December 2008. Authors: Bill Aal (AGRA Watch), Lucy Jarosz (Professor, Geography, University of Washington), Carol Thompson (AGRA Watch, Professor, Political Economy, Northern Arizona University), (January 20, 2009).

How Healthy for Africans is the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)? By Professor Carol Thompson, Northern Arizona University. 3 pages  [PDF].

Biopiracy of Biodiversity: Global Exchange As Enclosure. By Professor Carol Thompson and Andrew Mushita (2007).

AGRA Watch in the Media

From Seattle to Rome, Food Sovereignty Movement Pushes for Reforms By Daniel Bornstein Food Tank (November 14, 2014).

African Food Leaders Cry Foul on Gates Foundation’s Green Revolution Greenacreradio (October 16, 2014).

Gates Foundation’s African agriculture agenda gets some blowback< By Anna Goren The Seattle Globalist (October 14, 2014).

African farmers fight against Gates Foundation’s attempts to implement ecologically destructive industrial agriculture By Julie Wilson Natural News, (October 14, 2014).

Critics of Gates’ ag programs bring the battle to Seattle By Sandi Doughton, The Seattle Times (October 12, 2014).

Food Sovereignty in Africa Featuring Million Belay and Bridget Mugambe “Mind over Matters” 90.3 FM KEXP (October 11, 2014).

Help for African agriculture: Some question the Gates role By Martha Baskin Crosscut.com (October 10, 2014).

Bill Gates, One of the World’s Most Destructive Do-Gooders? AGRA Watch mentioned in article by Mercola (March 4, 2012).

Op-ed: Gates Foundation should step away from funding genetically modified crops in Africa. By Ashley Fent and Phil Bereano, Seattle Times (Nov. 4, 2012).

Bill Gates’ Support of GM Crops is Wrong Approach for Africa. By Glenn Ashton (AGRA Watch ally), Seattle Times (Feb. 27, 2012).

Video: Discussion of the Gates Foundation + Monsanto. Bill Aal of AGRA Watch and Alexis Braden-Meyer of the Organic Consumer’s Association (OCA) discuss national and global concerns with genetically modified food at the 2011 Green Festival. Covered in this discussion is the Gates Foundation and its role with Monsanto, and their effect on farmers and agriculture all over the world (May, 2011).

Scientists Vigorously Objected to Eating This Food- Are You Eating It? Interview with Phil Bereano in conjuncture with Mercola (April 2, 2011).

USDA Gives Green Light to GE Alfalfa. (Quoting Phil Bereano) Nourishing the Planet Blog (Feb 7, 2011).

Seattle-led coalition tells Gates Foundation to change approach. Seattle Times’ Business of Giving Blog (Dec. 8th, 2010).

Local activists challenge Gates Foundation’s agricultural development strategy. KPLU’s Humanosphere (Dec. 7th, 2010).

Why is the Gates Foundation investing in Monsanto?  The Guardian “Poverty Matters” Blog (Sept. 29, 2010).

Ending Africa’s Hunger. Research conducted by AGRA watch members Travis English and Paige Miller is cited in this article in The Nation by Raj Patel, Eric Holt-Gimenez and Annie Shattuck. This article was part of the edition of the Nation, “Food for All: How to Grow Democracy”. (September 21, 2009).

Agra Watch co-chair Bill Aal gets rave reception at Northern Arizona University (April 16, 2009).

Gates Foundation takes on a partner in new venture. AGRA Watch member Phil Bereano is quoted in this article by Sandi Doughton in the Seattle Times. (March 31, 2009).

Resources developed by AGRA Watch

AGRA Watch Popular Education Workshop, “Exploiting the Politics of ‘Need’: AGRA & the Gates Foundation”: Video of workshop at the People’s Summit, Seattle: Video pt1: IntroductionVideo pt2: Participatory Theater;  Workshop Materials: Exploiting ‘Need’ Outline; “Bigwig” Excerpts – quotes from powerful philanthropists, corporations, politicians, and intergovernmental bodies on African agriculture; Advocate/Activist Excerpts – quotes from African civil society organizations, farmers, scholars from the US and Africa, advocates, activists, and allies on African demands, realities, and rights (Nov. 28th, 2009).

The Green Revolution Debates. An introductory bibliography about the the issues involved with the first Green Revolution, compiled by AGRA Watch (1970 – 2007).