Prof. Charles Ngugi, EBS, PhD

Professor Charles Ngugi is the currently Dean of the School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies at Karatina University, Kenya. He holds a PhD in Fish Biology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, CANADA. He has a long work experience (over 40 years) in the fields of Fish biology, aquaculture research, academia leadership and community outreach.

Dr. Charles Ngugi has a long teaching career in public universities and has supervised and graduated 3 PhD Students and over 20 MSc students who are currently in senior positions both in public and private sectors. He served as Fisheries Secretary and Chief Technical Adviser to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries Development for three years. Charles has worked for 20 years as a consultant with USAID, Msingi East Africa, DFID and FAO, among others. Professor Ngugi has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in international journals and 60 technical reports, books and book chapters. His recent research assignments include a position as regional coordinator and Principal Investigator for the Aquaculture and Fisheries Collaborative Research Programme (AquaFish Innovation Lab). 

Charles Ngugi, EBS, PhD

Dean, School of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies

Charles has attended and has been key note speaker in several international conferences, including European Commission Meeting in Brussels to develop guidelines for future Aquaculture funding in Africa March 2017, FAO’s side meeting with the committee of experts at the Sustainable Blue Economy (Nov 2018), World Aquaculture Society AQUA 2018 in Montpelier, France, and Aquaculture America 2018 in Las Vegas, US (Feb 2018). Professor Ngugi is member of the World Aquaculture Society and Aquaculture Association of South Africa.  His area of interest includes Development of low-cost fish feeds for fish farmers in Africa.

In recognition of his community work, Professor Charles Ngugi has received the following awards: 

  • The Aquaculture Awards 2020 – The Unsung Hero award. The awards, recognize and reward the excellence that is vital to the continuing development of a sustainable worldwide aquaculture industry – highlighting the impressive array of talents, achievements, and technical innovations on offer within this fast-growing sector

 

  • USAID – BIFAD Award 2018 -Excellence award for innovation on low cost feeds under the Feed the future initiative. The award recognizes the team for its work to address the critical production constraint of feed costs in aquaculture enterprises. The AquaFish Innovation Lab team has focused on finding low-cost alternatives to fishmeal in aquaculture diets for both small-scale and medium-scale fish farmers. 

 

  • Agriculture Award 2016 – Second Best National Small- Scale Commercialized Farmer in Kenya; Charles runs Mwea AquaFish Farm mweafish.com where he trains and mentor youth and university students on best management practices in Aquaculture.

 

  • Presidential National Awards 2012: Awarded by the president of Republic of Kenya; The Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) for his efforts in improving livehood of youth and women through aquaculture in Kenya.

 

 

Most recent Publications

  1. Mary A. Opiyo, James Jumbe, Charles C. Ngugi and Harrison Charo-Karisa. 2019. Dietary administration of probiotics modulates non-specific immunity and gut microbiota of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in low input ponds. Submitted to the International Journal of Veterinary and Medicine, 7:1, 1-9.
  2. Charles C Ngugi, Hillary Egna, Elijah Oyoo-Okoth and Julius O Manyala. 2017. Growth, yields and economic benefit of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets formulated from local ingredients in cages. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2016; 4(1): 209-213.
  1. Charles C. Ngugi, Betty Nyandat, Julius O. Manyala, Beth Wagude, 2017. Social and economic performance of tilapia farming in Kenya pages 91-112. In Social and economic performance of tilapia farming in Africa, Edited by J. Cai, K.K. Quagrainie and N. Hishamunda. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. C1130. Rome, Italy. ISBN 978-92-5-109756-4 -144Pp