Tessie Atieno Akoko

Tessie Atieno Akoko is a Senior Research Associate at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, specializing in the intersection of economics, data, climate resilience, and climate finance. She is dedicated to the design and implementation of evidence-based frameworks that translate field data into actionable climate solutions and evidence-based policies, particularly for vulnerable communities.

Her expertise spans the full lifecycle of research and project oversight, from developing survey instruments and executing primary data collection and analysis, to conducting feasibility studies for proposal development. By evaluating theories of change and development performance indicators, she ensures that adaptation actions are tracked over time with precision, generating the credible, results-based evidence essential for unlocking and directing climate finance toward the most urgent adaptation priorities.

Collaboration is central to her work across all levels of project implementation, with a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement and capacity building initiatives. Working in close partnership with governments and local communities, technical frameworks and guidelines are grounded in local realities, and all actors are empowered to deliver sustainable and inclusive outcomes.

Tessie is a Certified Expert in Climate Adaptation Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. She holds a Master of Science in Statistical Science from Strathmore University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Statistics from the University of Nairobi.