It's a combined effort really. Gates is using effective PR campaigns and the help of DARPA funding to basically conduct military research on the African ecosystems under the auspices of philanthropy.
The project was not democratically demanded or organised according to the will of the people affected. The like of it sure as shit wouldn't slide in the West. But Bill Gates is one of the "Good Guys" so we are told to applaud this.
To substantiate your point - that's also what I read (specifically regarding sub-saharan Africa). South Africa is the only exception due to it being much more elevated.
