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Improving the Livelihood of Women Smallholder Farmers

Tomás Chiconela of Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique will help improve rice production in women-run smallholder farms by establishing ducks and azolla plants as environmentally friendly alternatives to fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. The ducks protect crops from pests and control weed growth, which saves time and energy needed for hand weeding as well as providing meat and eggs to boost protein consumption, and azolla is a proven biofertilizer that acts as a potent organic nitrogen source. Farmers will be trained to handle the livestock and implement the new technology, and livestock disease clinics will be established.

More information about Labor Saving Innovations for Women Smallholder Farmers (Round 10)

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View the Grand Challenges partnership network

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is part of the Grand Challenges partnership network. Visit www.grandchallenges.org to view the map of awarded grants across this network and grant opportunities from partners.