Hailing from the West African country of Ghana, Dr. Miriam Otoo specializes in the economics of agricultural markets, business development, value chain analysis and agricultural productivity in the context of developing countries.  She has a Masters and PhD in Agricultural Economics with a focus on international development and agribusiness.  She received support for her PhD through a Borlaug LEAP Fellowship in 2008.  During her fellowship, she was mentored by Dr. Ousmane Coulibaly at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Dr. Joan Fulton at Purdue University. Her thesis identified key constraints to the development of a value added cowpea.  Results from her study have spawned new cowpea flour businesses emerging in Nigeria.

In 2011, Dr. Otoo joined the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Her research at IWMI currently focuses on understanding the linkages between agriculture and sanitation to enhance food security via the analysis of business opportunities in the waste reuse sector in Africa, Asia and Latin America.