"The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is donating another $120 million to boosting agriculture in the developing world, will focus on self-help aid for poor farmers to sustain and grow production... The latest grants bring its farm sector awards to $1.4 billion...." [Reuters/Factiva]

AP adds that "...about half of the grants...will go toward agriculture research in Africa, including experiments with sorghum, millet, legumes and sweet potatoes. But several unusual projects were included, including proposals to use cell phones and radio programs to educate small farmers...." [Associated Press/Factiva]

AFP reports that "...funding will be used to support development of local markets and connect them to schools. 'Instead of importing food from outside for school meal programs, you would buy food from local and national markets and thereby build demand,' Gate Foundation Deputy Director Roy Steiner told AFP. In Uganda funding...will be used to create 'community knowledge worker networks,' which connect villagers with sources of information via mobile phones. Grants also have been earmarked to create 'Farmer Voice Radio,' which would broadcast programs promoting sustainable agriculture to African farmers...." [Agence France Presse/Factiva]