Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation– and Rockefeller Foundation-funded nonprofit organization created to address food insecurity and poverty in Africa by imposing genetically modified seeds, patented fertilizers and pesticides on Africa’s food systems. Critics have argued that AGRA’s impact on Africa’s food systems enriches large agribusinesses, damages the environment, and lowers nutritional content of food. 1
Contents
In 2011, AGRA set specific goals for lowering food insecurity and poverty in Africa by 2020, but did not publish if they met this goal. A study by Tufts University found that AGRA fell short of this goal and that its impact on food systems makes it more difficult for small-holder farmers to compete in the private market. 2
Background
In 2006, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $100 million and Rockefeller Foundation contributed $50 million to create the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. AGRA was created to facilitate a second “Green Revolution” in Africa by funding the development and implantation of genetically modified seeds to be used in conjunction with proprietary fertilizers and pesticides. 3
In 2011, AGRA set goals for 2020 for the African countries where it works. The goals include doubling the income of 20 million smallholder farms, decreasing food insecurity by 50 percent in at least 20 countries, and have 15 countries on pace to have a self-sustaining food system. 4
In 2020, AGRA submitted a progress report to its partners discussing the progress toward helping smallholder farmers and improving African food systems. The report does not mention AGRA’s impact on decreasing poverty or food insecurity. The report discusses how much it has developed the Green Revolution’s food systems and related advocacy in African countries. 5
Partners
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa has several key partners that make up the majority of its funding. The partners include the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, UK Aid, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. AGRA also works with these organizations on developing strategies to impose on African food systems. 6
Programs
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa provides grants and designs systems that they claim will support agricultural production by smallholder farmers in Africa. AGRA funds research to develop genetically modified crops, fertilizers, and other agricultural technologies for Africa’s private markets. 7
AGRA funds the development of proprietary agricultural technology, such as fertilizers and genetically modified seeds, to support smallholder farmers in the private market. Under this stated goal, AGRA funds regional and national companies that develop these proprietary technologies. Additionally, AGRA funds “private inspectors” to certify that only the genetically modified seeds AGRA approves are being grown. 8
AGRA campaigns for policy changes by African governments, advocating for subsidized access to proprietary agricultural technology and government intervention to promote private markets. 9 AGRA also works with lenders to reduce costs and risks of lending to farmers. 10
Criticisms
Radical Environmentalists
Environmentalist and anti-genetic-engineering activist Vandana Shiva criticized AGRA for using its large funding to impose agricultural practices that are damaging to food systems, smallholder farmers, the environment, and the nutritional content of food. She claims AGRA is continuing the work of biotechnology firm Monsanto by promoting the use of patented agricultural technology. 1
Tufts University Report
At the end of 2020, researchers from Tufts University published a report addressing the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa’s goals it set for 2020. It found that there was substantial adoption of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides by smallholder farmers supported by AGRA. The report found that this led to sizeable increases in crop yields. 2
However, the report found that despite increases in yields, farmers experienced a decrease in productivity in 8 out of the 13 AGRA countries. The report also claimed that the chemicals AGRA supports are harmful to the environment, and that the seed stocks AGRA supports are not as nutritious as indigenous crops. 2
In the countries where AGRA operates, the report states that there has been a 30 percent increase in hunger, and with a goal of doubling crop production, AGRA countries saw an 18 percent increase in staple crop yields. The report concludes that AGRA is pushing smallholder farmers away from low-cost, traditional farming methods to methods that damage the environment, lower the nutritional content of food, and enrich commercial farmers. 2
Financials
Between 2006 and 2020, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa has received over $1 billion in revenue, approximately two-thirds of which has come from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. During this time, AGRA has spent over $500 million in grants across 13 African countries. 2
From 2015 to 2019, the Rockefeller Foundation gave AGRA over $80 million in grants. 11
People
Agnes Kalibata serves as the president of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. She was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources from 2008 to 2014.
Lilian Nyang’aya is the Chief Financial Officer for AGRA and formerly served as a director for the World Wildlife Fund and as a regional manager for Oxfam America. 12
Adam Gerstenmier served as AGRA’s Chief of Staff and Strategy and Chief of International Relations and Strategic Initiatives. He was serving as Chief of Staff to the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit at United Nations as of May 2020. 13