Maja Schling

Dr Maja Schling is a Senior Economist in the Agriculture and Rural Development Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from American University in Washington, D.C., and has over a decade of experience leading development operations and applied research across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Her work focuses on strengthening agricultural productivity and resilience through data-driven public policies and investments. Maja has led the design of programs that integrate climate services, digital technologies, and innovation into agricultural systems, as well as impact evaluations that generate empirical evidence to guide future interventions.

She is currently advancing research on the use of novel data sources, including satellite imagery and machine learning, to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of rural development programs. At the IDB, her work contributes to helping countries harness climate and technological innovation to enhance decision-making and strengthen farmers’ adaptive capacity in the face of climate change.