Yara International has awarded the 2012 Yara Prize to Dr. Eleni Gabremadhin, former CEO of the Ethiopian Commodity 
Exchange.
Dr. Eleni has been selected by the committee for her visionary leadership in managing the process to establish a functioning market for agricultural produce as the founder and chief Executive of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange.
The Yara Prize Committee selected Dr. Eleni and Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Rwandese Minister for Agriculture and Animal resources for their work on ground breaking sectors in the African Green Revolution and contributing to effective public policies to support agricultural development and for profound innovation in agricultural markets.
Both women leaders have shown that transformation can be achieved in a highly complex and challenging environment, applying innovative approaches and partnering with other stakeholders in new ways noted the committee.The achievements that led to the leaders to be selected are inspiring for other countries desiring to enhance the productivity and the agricultural sectors it was noted.
Yara is committed to creating impact by addressing challenges globally and the prize recognizes ‘champions’ of sustainable agricultural development said Jørgen Ole Haslestad, President and Chief Executive of Yara and Chairman of the Prize Committee, extending personal congratulations to the laureates.
The laureates have done impressive and inspirational transformational work which is what Yara wants to promote in the Grow Africa Initiative, co-chaired by NEPAD, the African Union and Yara he said.
Doctors Eleni and Kalibata will be celebrated at a State Banquet Gala event to be held on the 27th of September as aprt of African Green revolution Forum 2012 in Arusha Tanzania.
The Yara prize is based on nominations of candidates, carefully evaluated by the prize committee. The prize consists of a trophy, a certificate and 60 thousand US dollars which will be shared by the laureates.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
