In September the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) released an open letter stating that Bill Gates’ celebrated Green Revolution had failed Africa. In the statement, AFSA demanded that donors of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, including Gates, stop funding the AGRA initiative. 

Author Tim Wise points out that the alternative to Bill Gates’ GMO, chemical-intensive plan for Africa is agroecology.  

“Agroecology is defined in many different ways. I think the simplest way to understand it is an approach to growing food that tries to work in harmony with natural systems. Rather than trying to overcome them by using say pesticides to control pests, fertilizer to create soil fertility for the crops, etc. 

“But it’s also a social movement… empowering local food producers to take the lead in determining how agriculture and food moves forward.’ “

Learn more: The Agribusiness Alliance for a Green Revolution Failed Africa