Jean Paul Aka is an Agricultural Engineer specialized in forestry and environment. He has 7 years of professional experience in sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, REDD and climate finance. He works as a national expert on formalizing economic and financial models for sustainable cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire. The aim is to propose financing solutions for the financial inclusion of small cocoa producers and to raise private capital for the financing of agroforestry. He has also worked at the REDD Secretariat in Côte d’Ivoire, as head of the national REDD strategy and the partnership with the private sector to reduce deforestation in the cocoa and palm oil sectors. He also coordinated the development of the national zero deforestation agricultural policy and the National Payment System for Environmental Services (PES).