You'll be hungry and you'll be happy

And you'll thank Bill Gates for it...

Below is an excerpt from the report I read in the intro of this episode

https://archive.globalpolicy.org/images/pdfs/GPFEurope/Philanthropic_Power_online.pdf

The Gates Foundation and the commercialization of seed production in Africa

On March 23, 2015 the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID organized an invitation-only meeting in London to promote a report on seed production in Africa by the consulting firm Monitor Deloitte.183 They had commissioned this report to develop models for the commercialization of seed production in Africa, especially early generation seed (EGS), and to identify ways in which the public sector could facilitate private involvement in African seed systems.184

The invited guests included development agencies such as the World Bank, big seed companies such as Syngenta, and public-private partnerships such as AGRA.185 While the proclaimed general aim of the meeting was “to increase agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa,” 186 the report does not consider any potential role for farmers in the production or distribution of seed, and no farmer organizations were invited to attend.

The report recommends that in countries where farmers are using their own seed saving networks, NGOs and aid donors should encourage governments to introduce intellectual property rights for seed breeders and help to persuade farmers to buy commercial, patented seeds rather than relying on their own traditional varieties. It includes the following priority interventions:

“Contracting larger seed companies to produce foundation seed for sale to smaller companies; Establishing and supporting seed companies that produce solely foundation seed within countries or at the regional level; Developing the capacity of small- and medium-sized seed companies to produce their own foundation seed; Formulate and/or review national and regional policies to liberalize foundation seed production.” 187

Various critics have described the report recommendations as “neo-colonialist plans” to make African farmers dependent on corporate interests.188 Phil Bereano from AGRA Watch and Emeritus Professor at the University of Washington said:

“This is an extension of what the Gates Foundation has been doing for several years—working with the US government and agribusiness giants like Monsanto to corporatize Africa’s genetic riches for the benefit of outsiders.” 189

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At the same time, there is a revolving door between the Gates Foundation and pharmaceutical corporations. Many of the Foundation’s staff had held positions at pharmaceutical companies such as Merck, GSK, Novartis, Bayer HealthCare Services and Sanofi Pasteur. Just to give a few examples: Trevor Mundel, the president of the Global Health Division of the Gates Foundation, had a long career in pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis, Pfizer and Parke-Davis.121 Mundel’s predecessor, Tachi Yamada, had been an executive and board member of GSK. Kim Bush, in the Gates Foundation responsible for partnership initiatives with healthcare industry sectors, had formerly worked for Baxter International Healthcare Corporation.122 Penny Heaton, Director of Vaccine Development at the Gates Foundation since 2013, worked before for Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics and for Merck & Co.123

Personal relationships also play a part. In many cases, Bill and Melinda Gates deal directly with the leading scientific, business and political elites, establishing important ties, and often privileged access. In November 2014, for instance, when Bill Gates visited Berlin to campaign for the GAVI Alliance, he met the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Foreign Minister, the Finance Minister, the Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, the Minister of Health and several parliamentarians, all in an effort to prepare for the January 2015 Berlin meeting to replenish the GAVI Alliance resources. At this event, the German Chancellor announced a massive increase in Germany’s contribution to the Alliance and pledged EUR 600 million for GAVI over the period 2016-2020.124

The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jan/15/bill-gates-rockefeller-influence-agenda-poor-nations-big-pharma-gm-hunger