Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has had plenty of innovative ideas in his time. 

But offering to buy poorer countries 100,000 chickens isn't one of them.

The billionaire first floated the idea in a blog post two weeks ago, saying that chickens were a renewable source of protein which could come in useful for people in poorer countries. 

Bolivia's government, however, found the idea offensive. According to the Financial Times, the country's rural development minister told journalists Gates "does not know Bolivia's reality to think we are living 500 years ago, in the middle of the jungle....he should stop talking about Bolivia and once he knows more, apologise." 

And even if Bolivia had welcomed Mr Gates' offer, it's not clear just how useful it would have been - according to the Guardian, Bolivia produces 197 million chickens a year.