National Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. (Ms) Uma Lele
FOREIGN FELLOW, ELECTED 1998

Born in Koregaon, Satara, India on 28 August 1941. Educated at Ferguson College, Pune, B.A. 1960 & M.S. 1963; Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., Ph.D.1965.

She currently operates as Independent Scholar, affiliated with the Institute of Ecoomic Growth, Delhi, she is President of the International Asscociation of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) from 2021-2024. Due to COVID, she had to organize the first ever virtual tri-annual International Conference of Agricultural Economists in August 2021. She also published a co-authored a book titled: Food for All: International Organizations and the Transformation of Agriculture by Oxford University Press in October 2021; She has served as Commissioner, International Initiative For Impact Evaluation, (3IE); Senior Advisor, The Global Water Partnership; Senior Advisor, The Daugherty Water for Food Institute (DWFI) and the Nebraska Water Center, the University of Nebraska; Member, President's Advisory Council, Cornell University.

She was Senior Adviser, The Operations Evaluation Department,now called the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), World Bank, 2000-2005, and held various other research and management positions in the World Bank, 1971-2000; Visiting Professor, Cornell University, 1973-74; Graduate Research Professor and Director of International Studies, University of Florida, 1991-95; Director Global Development Initiative, the Carter Center, 1992-93; Member, Board of Directors, Center for International Forestry Research, (CIFOR), 1992-93; Member of the Technical Advisory Committee, CGIAR, 1994-95; formerly on the Board of Directors of Institute of Development Studies 2006-2012; Panel Member, Independent External Evaluation of FAO 2006-2007.

Awards/Honours: American Association of Agricultural Scientists Outstanding Scientist of Indian Origin, 1995;       Dr. B.P. Pal Memorial Award 2015-2016. M.S. Swaminathan Award 2016-2017; Clifton Wharton Award 2018, Honorary Doctorate, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, in March 2023.

Fellow: American Agricultural Economic Association, 1999, Lifetime fellow, International Associaton of Agricultural Economists, Honorary Fellow. African Association of Agricultrual Economists, 2019

Research Areas: Global development, global public policies and partnerships, agriculture and rural development, environment management, human health, aid effectiveness

Address: 700 New Hampshire Avenue, Apt 304, Washington, D.C. 20037, USA; [Tel: Res. 202-337-1916; Cell: 571-274-9099; Email: umalele1@gmail.com]

Dr. B.P. Pal Memorial Award 2015-2016