Majority of agriculture grants by Gates Foundation spent in rich countries

New analysis of grants made by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has revealed that a majority of the 3 billion dollars (1.8bn pounds) agricultural charity was spent in the US, Britain and other rich countries.

The Guardian reports that African NGOs received just 4 percent of Bill Gates' money for agriculture work, with 75 percent for US organisations.

The foundation studied the distribution of the grants and reached the conclusion that almost half of the funds given over the past decade went to global agriculture research networks, and the World Bank as well as UN agencies and to groups that work in Africa to promote hi-tech farming.

Meanwhile, the remaining 1.5 billion dollars was reportedly spent towards research by hundreds of research and development organisations across the world.

The organisation said in its report that over 80 percent of the grants were given to organisations in the US and Europe, and only 10 percent to groups in Africa.

The report added that mainly the US, followed by the UK, Germany and the Netherlands received most of the money.