$46.9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help small-scale farmers improve coffee quality, increase production and link to markets.
JANUARY 25, 2008 — Washington, DC A significant grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will allow TechnoServe to help small-scale coffee farmers in East Africa double their incomes.
The $46.9 million, four-year grant will fund an initiative to help approximately 180,000 farmers living on less than $2 a day improve the quality of their coffee. Better quality translates into higher prices and increased incomes that can help break the cycle of poverty. The initiative will be based on a collaborative approach between farmers and TechnoServe to develop local solutions for local needs. The grant is envisioned as the first phase of a larger TechnoServe program.