Bill Gates and the head of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) met to discuss improving cooperation on anti-hunger efforts. They discussed ways to improve FAO's agricultural data collection systems and develop a public scorecard to better measure hunger reduction progress. They also talked about boosting productivity and market opportunities for smallholder farmers. Possible areas of cooperation included improving statistics, using information technologies to benefit farmers, and supporting a scorecard system. Gates emphasized making sure digital innovations and scientific advances reach poor farmers worldwide and are better used to gather and analyze agricultural data.

1. FAO, Bill Gates eye cooperation on
anti-hunger efforts
23/02/2012
23 February 2012, Rome - Improving agricultural data systems and boosting support to
smallholder farmers in the fight against hunger emerged as key topics during discussions
between Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and FAO Director-
General José Graziano da Silva, today at FAO headquarters.
The philanthropist and digital technology icon met with the head of the specialized UN agency,
discussing ways to improve FAO's data collection systems and to develop a public, multi-agency
scorecard to better measure the progress of hunger reduction. They also talked about how to
boost sustainable productivity and market opportunities for smallholder farmers, who make up
the bulk of the world's poor.
Possible areas of cooperation include improving agricultural statistics, the use of communication
and information technologies to benefit agriculture as a whole, and small-scale farmers in
particular, in addition to supporting the development of a scorecard system.
During the meeting, Graziano da Silva presented Gates with a permanent building pass to FAO,
in a symbolic gesture of FAO's commitment to working closer with the private sector and civil
society.
Information innovation and cooperation
Graziano da Silva highlighted the value of innovative partnerships and of increasing South-South
Cooperation to support smallholder producers.
Emphasizing the foundation's commitment to supporting small-scale farming, Gates addressed
the need to make sure the benefits of the digital revolution and scientific innovations reach poor
farmers worldwide and are better used in gathering and analyzing data.
FAO has also long advocated the need for greater access to information, innovation and
cooperation to reduce hunger, malnutrition and extreme poverty through agriculture. In the

2. meeting, the value of information technology to help small farmers obtain market information,
link them to new and existing markets, and improve their productivity and business decision-
making was also highlighted.
Before meeting at FAO, Gates discussed agriculture and sustainable poverty reduction during a
question-and-answer session at the 35th
Session of the Governing Council of the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). He said that the world had the opportunity and the
obligation to imagine a different future.
"This future will begin with another revolution in agricultural productivity. Sustainable yield
increases will lead to a better living for farm families; they will also make food more accessible
and cheaper for the growing number of poor families living in cities. In short, more productive
small farmers are the key to achieving the Millennium Development Goals on hunger and
poverty. If you care about the poorest, you care about agriculture," said Gates.