OUR STORY
It’s time to close this gap for good
Gates Ag One was created to connect the most promising discovery research with people it often fails to reach: smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These are farmers whose lives and livelihoods depend on a productive, secure food supply, and who are disproportionately bearing the adverse impacts of climate change.
Our multidisciplinary team is the nucleus of an expanding network focused on closing the gap between cutting-edge science and those who stand to gain the most from its application. We bring diverse skills and experience to the practice of translation: applying scientific knowledge to the development of positive interventions.
These may take the form of improved products, processes, combinations thereof, or other outputs. Whatever the specific application, our goal remains the same: to make an impact for smallholder farmers for generations to come.
INSPIRATION
Agriculture at the intersection
Agriculture is at the intersection of so many factors — connecting people with each other, with ecosystems, with the planet we all share as home.
This interconnectedness inspires us. It keeps us open-minded about where we can make the biggest impact, and willing to change course when required. It motivates us to consider the wellbeing not only of an individual, but of their family, community, economy, and environment.
As Gates Ag One, we strive to bring about a world where agriculture is a sustainable solution to systemic problems, and innovation is directed where it’s needed most.
VALUES
The basis of a thriving culture
We believe that energized people fueled by a shared mission, in an environment designed to create a thriving culture, will do phenomenal things. Our values are aligned with those of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Our five core values are:
Optimism. We are impatient optimists by nature: we see the glass as half full and are motivated to confront problems that others consider impossible to solve.
Collaboration. We recognize that our resources and abilities are only a small part of what is needed to achieve our goals and that our impact is greater when we work with others.
Rigor. We pursue our mission with focus, discipline, and rigor to maximize our impact.
Innovation. We believe that many of the most intractable problems can be solved only through creative and innovative solutions.
Inclusion. We define inclusion as an environment that actively welcomes, connects, and values all, while harming none.
LEADERSHIP
Our Team
Leadership
Governance
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Rodger Voorhies Chairperson, Gates Ag One Board of Managers
President, Global Growth & Opportunity, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -
Carolyn Ainslie Member, Gates Ag One Board of Managers
Chief Financial Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -
Nick Austin Member, Gates Ag One Board of Managers
Chief Executive Officer, Watertrust Australia Ltd -
Keith Matthews Member, Gates Ag One Board of Managers
General Counsel, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation -
Connie Collingsworth General Counsel,
Gates Ag One
Chief Operating Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
faq
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why was Gates Ag One created? What is its purpose?
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Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations (also known as Gates Ag One) was created by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (“the Foundation”) to accelerate the translation of discovery research supported by the Foundation’s Agricultural Development team into products that meet the needs of smallholder farmers.
Across the world, innovations are urgently needed to sustainably increase agricultural productivity, provide adaptation to the impacts of climate change, and enhance nutrition security. Too often these discoveries exclude smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia whose lives and livelihoods depend on securing harvests under increasingly difficult conditions.
Gates Ag One is committed to ensuring that transformative agricultural products such as climate resilient, yield-enhancing crops are made accessible to smallholder farmers.
- Why do you call Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations “Gates Ag One”?
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Using the shortened form of our name, Gates Ag One, reminds us and our partners that agriculture is the one activity that truly connects our planet and sustains us all.
- Is Gates Ag One a grant-making organization?
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Yes, we will use the most efficient and effective contractual tools to help us achieve our goals. Grants are one of these, as are collaborative agreements and contracts.
- How is Gates Ag One affiliated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?
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Gates Ag One is a single-member limited liability company, the sole member of which is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Together, we are driven by our shared belief that all lives have equal value.
- Who will Gates Ag One partner with?
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Partnerships are essential to achieving our goals. We are building a new, inclusive community of partners from both high- and low-income countries — a network of research and development organizations, academic institutions, governments, private sector companies, cooperatives, and non-profits, amongst others — to effectively evaluate and advance the translation of the best breakthrough crop science into products that meet the needs of smallholder farmers.
- What geographies and crops will Gates Ag One focus on?
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Our primary objective is to translate upstream discoveries into products or practices that will be accessible to smallholder farmers in low-income countries, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Gates Ag One’s geographical priorities are aligned with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation investments.
Our programs will always be driven by the needs of smallholder farmers and the crops they cultivate for food, feed, and fiber.
Careers
Become a part of our community
Join a team that’s forging a new model for product development — one focused on translating the world’s most potentially impactful science into public goods that are accessible where they’re needed most.
Explore Careers