On their website, IDEI writes that their mission is, "To improve equitably the social, economic and environmental conditions of families in need, with special emphasis on the rural poor, by identifying, developing and marketing affordable, appropriate and environmentally sustainable solutions through market forces."

More specifically, IDEI provides the tools and expertise for farmers to improve their productivity and total output. In 2005, Amitabha Sadangi, the founder of the organization, won the Skoll Foundation Award for Social Entrepreneurship. On the Award website, they note that, "The most important innovation is the brand-named "KB drip," which at $1.50 is the cheapest form of irrigation technology available in India. Even the poorest households can grow produce in both dry and rainy seasons with this system. Farmers who use it usually sell their produce in local markets rather than to exploitative middlemen, which helps them build their small-plot enterprises into income sources to support their families."