As Ethiopia seeks to establish the first ever commodity exchange, as a country, it has embarked on a great collective learning exercise in what may be a fundamental transformation. A primary function of an exchange is coordinating buyers and sellers. Related to this, an exchange creates market transparency by providing information on product grades, on prices, and on offers and bids for given products. This signals opportunities for profitable trade; it levels the playing field between farmers and others with better information; and it opens up new markets within and outside of the country.