Founded in 1968, TechnoServe Inc. is a nonprofit organization that applies business approaches to reduce poverty. The organization partners with enterprising individuals in low-income communities, offering training and support to smallholder farmers, food processors, and small business owners. Its work spans agriculture, small business development, micro-retail, and food processing sectors.
TechnoServe operates across 29 countries, with a significant presence in East Africa, including Kenya. The organization employs more than 1,500 people. One reported outcome of its programmes is a 142% income increase for coffee farmers in East Africa.
The organization states that its culture values impact over ideology, learning over assumption, and partnership over paternalism. Its approach is rooted in transparency and data, with a stated commitment to rigorously tracking and sharing results and maintaining accountability to donors and the communities it serves.
