PROGRAMME STRATEGIST | AGRICULTURE • FINANCE • POLICY
Dr. Nancy R. Irwin
PhD • Commonwealth Scholar • Senior Advisor, PNG Department of Agriculture and Livestock
I am a scientist, programme strategist, and founder.
I design and steer development work across agriculture, finance, and conservation so it holds up in practice, not just on paper.
Most of my work sits where things get difficult. Between policy and delivery. Between funding and reality.
That is where I work.
My path
My path was not straightforward. I was a Commonwealth University Scholar at the University of Queensland when I suffered a severe brain injury that took me out of my career for ten years. I returned to science through a Daphne Jackson Fellowship at the University of York. That experience has shaped how I approach complex problems and setbacks.
Papua New Guinea
I have spent much of my career working in Papua New Guinea.
It is a complex place to operate. Extraordinary biodiversity. Deep cultural diversity. Real constraints on infrastructure and systems.
I co-founded Kamapim Ltd, a vanilla and cocoa export company, and led it for seven years. During that time we trained over 21,000 farmers, supported more than 7,000 rural bank accounts, and built practical systems linking agriculture to finance.
- Co-authored the PNG Vanilla Standard and Export Guide with UNCTAD and 33 ministries, later adopted into law
- Lead the partnership for the first integrated agricultural credit scoring system in Oceania, based on field data collected through Kamapim
- Led community conservation protecting 9,600 hectares of rainforest, using conservation deeds that enabled communities to stop illegal logging
- Featured in The Guardian for this work on community-led forest protection in Papua New Guinea
Working directly with communities across Papua New Guinea on agriculture, finance, and conservation.
Strategic work
I founded Amaterra Ltd to bring field experience into decisions that are often made too far from it.
My work spans government, donor-funded programmes, and investment, including partnerships with DFAT, MDF, USAID, GSMA, and the PNG Investment Promotion Authority.
In 2026, I presented at APEC in Guangzhou on green climate finance and impact investment, representing the PNG Investment Promotion Authority.
Across all of this, the thread is simple:
Programmes do not fail from lack of effort.
They fail when design does not match reality.
My role is to close that gap.
If you’re working on a programme where delivery is the challenge, I’m always open to a conversation.
French Ambassador visiting Kamapim Ltd’s vanilla processing facility, Papua New Guinea
Commercial and diplomatic engagement around PNG vanilla, showing the trade-level significance of on-the-ground systems built to connect farmers to international markets.
APEC China 2026 — Green Climate Finance & Impact Investment
Recognition
- APEC Presenter, Guangzhou 2026
- Global Corporate Award for Sustainable Development (2024/25, 2025/26)
- Top 100 Most Influential People in Sustainable Agriculture (Midlands)
- Commonwealth Scholar, University of Queensland
- Daphne Jackson Fellow
- 14 peer-reviewed publications
The Enterprise Vision Awards recognise outstanding women entrepreneurs across the UK. Finalists are selected through a rigorous application and judging process, with the ceremony taking place later this year.
Is It Fatal?
Is It Fatal? is my upcoming book.
It is a funny, honest take on how to keep going when things feel like they have completely fallen apart.
The title comes from a simple question that cuts through panic: Is it fatal? If the answer is no, you have options.
The book is built from real experiences across science, business, and life, and offers a practical way to think, reset, and move forward when things feel overwhelming.
A bit more human
I live in England with my Belgian husband and our daughter.
I have spent most of my life working across cultures, often in places where things are unpredictable and do not go to plan.
I like that.
I like meeting people, figuring things out as I go, and working in the gap between what should happen and what actually does.
