Workers at Ambassa Enterprises, a coffee buyer and exporter based in Addis Ababa, sort the beans for export. Ambassa is run by Geoffrey Wetherill, a Lancastrian who arrived in Ethiopia during the Second World War. He got a taste for the country and the coffee, and returned soon after to establish Ambassa, now one of Ethiopia's leading coffee exporters.

Geoffrey is enthusiastic about the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange, which was developed thanks to UK aid funded research: "It's certainly improved things here," he says. "And we are seeing a better grade of coffee now."

DFID supported two leading research institutes who were tasked with finding a solution to Ethiopia's inefficient food and commodity markets.

The UK aid funded research recommended setting up a commodity exchange and helped to design the warehousing, logistics and payment systems that the exchange uses today. The exchange helps to boost exports and secure a better deal for farmers and consumers.

More information: <a href="http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ecx" rel="nofollow">www.dfid.gov.uk/ecx</a>