In Memoriam
Uma Lele (1941-2025)
It is with deep sadness, that we inform you of the passing of our esteemed colleague and distinguished economist Dr. Uma Lele on July 28th, 2025. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, loved ones and all colleagues who had the privilege of knowing and working with her. Dr. Uma Lele was a visionary and dedicated her life in the service of humanity. She was an international thought leader and policy analyst, with extensive research and operational experience in diverse fields including agriculture and rural development, nutrition, forestry and environment, global public goods, external assistance and partnerships and institutional evaluation. Leveraging her strategic thinking and academic formation, Dr Lele was able to mobilize human capital and financial resources on an international scale, convening public or private sector leaders to engage in critical development issues, to realize concrete results and policy changes.
Dr. Lele was the first woman to be awarded a PhD in agricultural economics by Cornell University in 1965, at just 24 years old. At the World Bank, she served as staff during 1971-2005, in roles ranging from Economist to Senior Advisor, including across Africa, Asia and Latin America. In 1976, Dr. Lele authored a seminal work, “The Design of Rural Development: Lessons from Africa “, which was based on her field experience across multiple African countries. It critiqued top-down development models and emphasized the need for locally grounded, evidence-based approaches. As a divisional manager, Dr. Lele oversaw the Bank’s agriculture and rural development work in Africa, reshaping how the Bank approached development assistance. She highlighted the limitations of donor-driven models, advocated strengthening of African institutions and sought context appropriate solutions while not losing track of cross-country lessons. Dr. Lele’s publication, Aid to African Agriculture (1991), offered a rigorous assessment of two decades of experience and calling for “sustained impact on institutions and people”. She took a sabbatical to work for the University of Florida as a Tenure Research Professor & Director of International Studies and Programs (1991-95). She then rejoined and worked at the World Bank until 2005, as a Senior Advisor for environmentally and socially sustainable development, and the Bank’s Operations Evaluation Department (now Independent Evaluation Group). For IEG, Dr. Lele led the first ever evaluation of Global Partnerships, including the meta-evaluation of CGIAR, making recommendations for their reform.
Following her retirement from the World Bank, Dr. Lele operated as an independent scholar and development economist affiliated with the University of Delhi’s Institute of Economic Growth. At this institute, Dr. Lele engaged in research and mentorship, contributing to India’s policy discourse on agriculture and rural development. She co-/authored a number of papers, delivered keynote addresses and made several presentations on key issues, e.g., her 2013 “Good Governance for Food, Water and Energy Security” publication advocated for integrated approaches to address resource security challenges. Dr. Lele led or participated in various panels and task forces set up by national and international organizations such as the World Bank, FAO, UNICEF, MIT, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Water Partnership, International Water Management Institute, Agricultural Science Congress (India), and Institute for Human Development (India). Dr. Lele co-chaired the task force set up by the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), providing important recommendations to make China’s forestry sector sustainable and productive. In 2021, Dr Lele came out with a landmark book titled “Food for All: International Organizations & Transformation of Agriculture” analyzing the evolution of global food systems and the role of international organizations in shaping agricultural transformation. She was also a Co-Convener of CGIAR’s High Level Advisory Panel of experts that guided CGIAR’s transition to One CGIAR.
Dr. Lele was the first woman to get elected as the President of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) since the organization’s founding in 1929, for the 2021-24 period, following her term as President-Elect from 2018-21. At IAAE, Uma championed cross-regional dialogue among agricultural economists, strengthening its role as a convener of global expertise on food systems, rural development and policy reform. She also set up the Uma Lele Mentor Fellowship Award, to support women from developing countries pursuing careers in agricultural economics and was a recipient of prestigious awards including the Clifton R. Wharton Jr. Emerging Markets Award for leadership in advancing economic progress in emerging markets; Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award by TAAS India for lifetime contributions to agricultural policy and food security; and Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Society of Agricultural Economics for transformative impact on India’s agro-economics. Dr. Lele was Fellow of the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (USA) and the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS). Dr Lele also received an Honorary Doctorate from Stellenbosch University for pioneering scholarship, global leadership and gender equity.
Dr. Uma Lele’s decades-long association with the World Bank and her pioneering work in agriculture, rural development and global policy reform left an indelible mark on the institution and on development practice worldwide. Intellectually active until the end, she served as the key presenter or convener at several seminars hosted by the World Bank’s 1818 Society Agriculture, Food & Rural Development Thematic Group.
She was warm and accessible— making everyone feel seen, heard, and valued, no matter their background or experience. A great mentor, she nurtured young minds across continents and offered wise counsel to peers with grace and insight. She will be profoundly missed. May we carry forward Dr. Lele’s legacy with deep appreciation and the enduring commitment to the values she embodied. In the words of a former colleague, “Hers was a purposeful life, well-lived.” May her soul rest in peace.
Submitted by Preeti Ahuja and Ramesh Deshpande
