Saving the World

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a package of grants totalling US$306 million aimed at improving productivity of agriculture in the developing world.

Most of the money will go to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, which intends to improve soils in more than 6.3 million hectares of land.

The rest of the Gates handout will be split between outfits that develop micro-irrigation technologies for small-holder farmers in India, boost high-quality coffee production or milk quality in Kenya and elsewhere, and improve dairy farmers’ access to markets in Bangladesh.

Via Money-Soft

UK and China to lead the world - PM

The Prime Minister has said that the UK and China will "lead the world" in the construction of eco-towns and sustainable urban development.

Speaking in Shanghai, the PM announced two agreements with China on environmental issues - the provision of £50 million from the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) and an extension to the EU-China Near Zero Emissions Coal Programme.

"Two countries will lead the world in the creation of eco-cities and eco-towns - that is China and Britain....over the next few years the development of this new higher level of environmental cooperation will have the support of the British government."

Via Box-UK