Irene Ricca

Irene Ricca is a Sustainable Cocoa Value Chain Development Officer with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Irene supports the design and development of climate-resilient cocoa value chain projects in Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, engaging with national institutions, government agencies, and key stakeholders to ensure inclusive, sustainable, and results-oriented interventions. Her work also includes research and analysis of value chain dynamics, facilitating operational coordination between country teams and headquarters, and contributing to partnership development to strengthen collaboration and scale successful initiatives.

Irene has some years of experience in the development sector, with a focus on agricultural and rural development. She has worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), both at the HQ and the Sub-Regional Office for North Africa (Tunisia), supporting the implementation of multi-country projects promoting responsible agricultural investments (RAI) and youth employment in targeted value chains in North and West Africa. Previously, Irene worked as Investment Operations and Communication Support Consultant with the French Development Agency (AFD) and as Project and Partnership Development Consultant with Innovation for Poverty Action (IPA) in West Africa. Her experience spans operational support, project development and management, partnership development, and capacity building across West and North Africa, with proven ability to collaborate with governments and national institutions and to work effectively in multicultural and international environments.