Influence In Action: Ending Poverty and Hunger

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 23:56:00 GMT

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is an excellent model of influence in action. Their program to improve agriculture in Africa is an excellent demonstration of influence principles.

Desired Results: Their goal is to break the cycle of hunger and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. To do this, they look broadly at systems and cycles and map the dynamics that create and perpetuate this problem.

Focus on Agriculture: The Gates Foundation’s data reveals that the three-quarters of the world’s poorest people rely on agriculture—not manufacturing, retail, or other economic sectors. They’ve also discovered that no country has ever abolished poverty without increasing their agricultural productivity. And yet, very few resources are invested in improving agriculture. Only 4 percent of government spending in Sub-Saharan Africa supports farming, and only 4 percent of official development assistance targets farming. In fact, the fastest growing area within agricultural research is “golf grass.” That’s right, developing new varieties of grass for golf courses.

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Influence In Action: Ending Poverty and Hunger