Michigan State University researchers plan to use a $7.8 million grant from the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help African nations improve sustainable farming.

The grant announced Tuesday is from the Gates Foundation Global Development Program. The East Lansing school says the money will be used to help guide efforts to intensify some needed farming methods in Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

During the next four years, a team will work with 10 African universities, institutes and government ministries on the effort.

In 2008, Michigan State University used a $4 million Gates Foundation grant to analyze the region's agricultural marketing and trade systems.

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Online:

http://www.msu.edu

http://www.gatesfoundation.org