Economist Battles Hunger With Data
Eleni Gabre-Madhin is an Ethiopian-born economist working to build the country’s first commodities market. Gabre-Madhin believes that sound management and information standards can turn Ethiopia into a food producing powerhouse.
One of her ideas: To create internet cafes in rural areas. The cafes will be a place where farmers can go and view the action on the commodities exchange themselves.
Gabre-Madhin was a World Bank economist for many years. In time she grew frustrated with the daily grind of persuading policy makers to do something about hunger. So she quit her comfortable job with the World Bank and she headed home to Ethiopia to attack the problem herself. We admire her focus, and we wish her well.