 So why do I say the drought-tolerant maize project is representative of where the community needs to go? Well first, it's about innovation. One of the biggest challenges facing a small farmer in Africa right now is climate change. They can't change the weather. They can't change where they live. But this project can help them thrive on their own land. The new drought-tolerant maize varieties will allow farmers to get 30 percent more maize yield in a drought. Second reason I believe this points the way is this project is directly targeted at small farmers. The theme of this conference is taking it to the farmer, which is apt. It is only by working closely with farmers that we can understand the problems that need solving and to buy solutions. That are likely to find traction. The maize project is structured to include small farmers like Sharifa Noomby, who was highlighted in the film and the breeding process. Drought-tolerant maize just doesn't happen in the lab. Technology can't help farmers unless farmers want to use it. And this is a lesson that we've been learning in agricultural development for well over 50 years. In Malawi, the government introduced various improved maize varieties for farmers to test out in their fields. Of these, the farmers preferred an early maturing drought-tolerant variety over others. In a year, severe drought early maturing drought-tolerant varieties offer added insurance against starvation. Malawi's Ministry of Agriculture took note and last year the government endorsed the variety preferred by the farmers. Encouraging thousands of farmers to use it in the country's most drought-prone areas. Now the third reason I think this project captures the direction our community is going is because it's based on massive partnership. Especially in tough economic times, we need to coordinate as never before to get the most out of our combined investments. And this effort to develop drought-tolerant maize is building on more than two decades of research and involves a broad coalition of partners. You saw that long list of partners flash across the screen after the film. Government's NGOs, seed dealers, each plays a vital role in making sure that quality maize seeds gets into the hands of small farmers. Partnership and coordination are an important way to get the value for the money we're spending. The new institutional model at CGR to help coordinate its research efforts is a great example of how we can stretch our resources by reforming, by modifying, by evolving the way we work. So I am inspired by the optimism of Sharika Nube. She said, through our hard work in the fields, we can eradicate poverty. She's right. Agriculture is the best lever we have to pull in the fight against hunger and poverty. We all agree on that. What's so exciting to me is that we're not staying in one place. Our community has the tools to help farmers grow more and more nutritious crops, even in the face of harsh weather. Our community can keep getting better. We can learn more about small farmers. We can innovate to get ahead of the next challenge. We can form broader, deeper partnerships that allow us to maximize our impact against poverty and hunger. What's required of us is our unfailing commitment to the cause of agricultural development. It's the same commitment that drives Sharika Nube and millions of other farmers in the developing world to wake up each morning and do their part to feed the world. Last night at dinner, I met eight farmers from Africa. One of them was Alice Katerin. She's a sheriff. She's a widow. She's taken care of three children and she's taking care of two children from her brother who's passed away. And I could see the pride and the excitement in her eyes. As she said in 2005 on her one hectare, she was able to grow 20 bags of maize along with her soybeans and ground nuts. And last year, her last harvest, using the benefits of the improved inputs that have been made available to her, she is up to 150 bags in the last harvest. It was so uplifting to hear her story and to see that pride. She is a great example of the story in front of the numbers. I see that commitment alive in the eyes of everyone here today. The commitment of take it to the farm. Progress against hunger and poverty is not only possible, it's happening. Thanks to all of you. Thank you very much. Said he'd be willing to take a couple of questions before we have to break through the downstairs. Have our interns around with microphones. Does anybody have any questions? An incredible presentation. Well, here's one over here. Here comes the microphone. Thanks. I'm Marshall Boutin from the Chicago Council. Jeff, I want to come back to the challenges we now face as a result of the economic crisis. And the budgetary pressures. And those will continue as you know well, long into the future. At least here in the United States. So, how do we explain to members of Congress, to the American people, why at such a time of economic stress around the United States needs to make larger commitments to agriculture in places far around the world? Is it just altruism? Is it economic benefit? Is it investing in success? There are a lot of narratives here, but we need to figure out how to make them. And I'm wondering if you could share your thinking about that. Yeah, a few quick thoughts. First of all, the bottom line is it's about their interests and our interests. And I think the recognition of the importance of food security and economic development as a critical element of sustainable progress in the developing world and the security that comes from that, I think is being recognized by leadership and D.C. and hopefully other places. If you look very closely, and I was very fortunate to have a brief chat with Raj Shah when I was in Washington D.C. on my last trip. And we didn't have a lot of time to focus in on the recent announcement of the collaboration, if you will, between the White House and the State Department on the direction of foreign policy. But one thing that Raj emphasized to me that I found quite heartening was the idea that people now really see that there's a distinction between stability and economic development and how that can be sustained. And of course given sort of the military challenges, the defense challenges that are out there, I think the recognition of that distinction is extremely important. The second thing that Raj said is that clearly then the administration, hopefully members of Congress will put a lot more emphasis on the investments that can be made to spur economic development which can then underlie sustained progress for the future. But I just want to come back to one third point that I think is so important is we have to get out there and tell the story. We've got to tell the story of the successes, and we've got to tell the story of the impact. The average American citizen thinks that one of the larger portions of the federal government budget that is, I guess you'd say dispensable is four and eight. Average American citizen doesn't understand that less than one percent of the federal budget is in four and eight or official development assistance. So what we have to do is we have to make sure that people understand just how important, how impactful the investments are that are made in smart assistance, smart aid. And then make sure then that if we tell that story we have the public will that's necessary to support political will. So that would be my three thoughts that I would add. Any one last question out here? Student. Student. All right. Hi there, my name is Warmery. Iowa? That's all right. Okay. People from Nebraska like people from Iowa. I was, do you ever run into any problems with organic supporters condemning your work because it deals with genetically modified organisms and how do you deal with those naysayers? Yeah, the question is, was it Lauren? Yeah, Lauren asked if we deal with challenges from people who are anti-GMO that is a challenge or an impact in our work. And I could probably sugarcoat the answer, but the truth is we do think that can be a challenge. When I meet with the lack of the question is whether you're going to get Jeff Rakes on plug. When I sit down with farmers in Africa, Malawi, Brazambia, or Kenya and I see the challenges they face and I recognize that the technology tools aren't the only answer, but they're an important part of providing the options that will give these farmers and their families the opportunity that David and Lucy have or the opportunity that Alistaira has. I just, I wish they'd sit down with me and look in their eyes and tell me that we should deny the use of that technology opportunity as part of giving these farmers choices. That's how I see it. You may not see that in the standard answered on the gates. Now, is safety important? Absolutely. And we have significant grants to help put in place the regulatory structure so that the results of all the different breeding, conventional anti-GMO will be properly tested. Are the business issues important? Absolutely. Our approach at the Gates Foundation is to work with the private sector companies who are willing to contribute their resources, it may be intellectual property, it may be their expertise, contribute their resources into partnerships that will ensure that these small holder farmers have access to the results of the output, the new seeds, or whatever new technology at affordable prices. In most cases, I see that these agricultural interests are saying this is a way for them to contribute their expertise, their successes to help others. And as part of our grant making process, we help to ensure that that is the deal. Take for example, the drought tolerant maize project. I think now there's 50 African varieties that have been aided by technology from American agricultural producers and there's no income stream back or anything like that. So there's a lot of misperception about what's happening. So I wanted to start out with what I think is most important, which is let's give these small holder farmers choices. And let's work together to figure out what are a set of reasonable choices and let them make the choice. Don't deny them the opportunity to have the choice. But underlying that, you have to make sure you put in place the support for safety, you have to make sure you put in place on a business model so that those choices can be affordable. We are committed to that and it is happening. Thank you. Thank you. Your comments you've sponsored the last question really hit home with me. The first symposium I ever organized at the World Food Prize was about the role of biotechnology, GMOs in feeding hungry people and brought people from Africa, India and China here just to be able to make that point that you made so eloquently and one of the critical issues. So I know Dr. Brog and his heart felt the same way and I'd like to give to you and through you to the Gates Foundation, one of his replicas of his Congressional gold medal and also a copy of my biography of him. So there will always be a reminder, I know you have your own reminder of him but of our gratitude to you and the Gates Foundation for all you do and for you being here today with us. Congratulations.