An NUI Galway (NUIG) programme with Concern Worldwide has secured a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop tools which will reduce the labour demands on small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

The university’s plant and agribiosciences centre has secured a $100,000 (€77,500) “grand challenges exploration” (GCE) grant from the foundation to research the prototyping of agricultural cropping tools used by female farmers in Africa.

The GCE funds support work on solving persistent global health and development challenges.

NUIG says it is the first time any Irish institution or university has secured one of the grants.