Gakii Doris

I am a Development and Gender Specialist working across agriculture, enterprise development and social inclusion. At Agile Consulting, I strengthen young people and women led or managed producer groups and enterprises to strengthen their participation in food systems. My work focuses on inclusive approaches that build resilient livelihoods and expand opportunities in food systems.

I am a Kenyan development professional with over 10 years of experience across agriculture, research, enterprise development, economic empowerment and project management. My career has been shaped by a strong interest in how practical development interventions can improve livelihoods, strengthen enterprises and create better opportunities for communities. My professional journey began with training in supply chain management, which gave me an early understanding of markets, procurement and how businesses operate. I later expanded my training into project management and Gender and Development Studies at the University of Nairobi. Over the years, I have also built practical experience in research, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, business development services, stakeholder engagement and programme implementation. Much of my experience has been connected to agriculture and rural development. Through my work with Farm Concern International, I was involved in research, data management, monitoring and evaluation, and agricultural development programmes. Working with farmers, agribusinesses, women, young people and other value chain actors helped me understand how markets, enterprise capacity, access to information and institutional support influence livelihoods and business growth. In my current work at Agile Consulting, I support programmes and assignments spanning agriculture, enterprise development, renewable energy, research, policy analysis and social inclusion. My role brings together project coordination, business development support, capacity strengthening, research, monitoring and evaluation, and engagement with government, private sector, civil society and community actors. These experiences have gradually shaped my interest in food systems. I have come to see food systems as much more than agricultural production. They connect farmers, businesses, markets, finance, policy, infrastructure, consumers, institutions and communities. My work with agribusinesses and cooperatives, as well as research on food access and agricultural value chains, has made me increasingly interested in how these different parts of the system interact and how they can work better together. I am particularly interested in enterprise development, inclusive markets, youth and women’s economic participation, research and evidence, and the role of partnerships in strengthening food systems. Gender and social inclusion are important lenses within this work, but they form part of a broader interest in creating systems that enable people and enterprises to participate, grow and build resilient livelihoods. I joined the African Food Fellowship to deepen my understanding of food systems thinking, strengthen my leadership practice and learn alongside professionals working across different parts of the system. I also hope to contribute my experience in agriculture, research, enterprise development and programme delivery while exploring practical approaches.