They say the unusual approach is an attempt to provide "revolutionary protection" against mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and chikungunya.
The mosquitoes are infected with a bug called Wolbachia which reduces their ability to spread viruses to people.
The $18m dollar project is funded by an international team of donors, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
"Vaccinating mosquitoes"
The scheme - which aims to start in early 2017 - is also financed by local governments in Latin America, the US and the UK.