Bolivia unimpressed

Bill Gates: Bolivia unimpressed with billionaire's poultry effort to fight poverty

"I find it rude, because unfortunately some people, especially in the empire (the United States), still see us as beggars," Rural Development Minister Cesar Cocarico said.

"We don't depend on chickens. We've advanced.

"Our people have dignity and they know how to work," he told journalists.

Mr Gates, the man ranked by Forbes magazine as the richest person in the world, announced plans last week to donate chickens to poor nations in an effort to fight extreme poverty.