Prof. Joshua Ondura Ogendo is an Associate Professor of Crop Protection (Stored Products Entomology) in the Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils (CHS); Principal, Nakuru Town Campus College; Has previously served as Director, Crop Management Research Training (CMRT) Project (May 6 2019-Aug 15, 2021), Dean, Faculty of Agriculture (Oct.28, 2014-Nov.2, 2018), Chairman, CHS Department (Jan.2009-Oct. 2014); Timetabling Officer Agronomy Department (1997-1999) and Coordinator, Mpeketoni Campus (2012-Present). Prof. Ogendo holds PhD degree in Agronomy (Crop Protection) from Egerton University (2008), MSc degrees in Agronomy and Grain Storage Management from University of Nairobi (Kenya; 1992) and University of Greenwich (UK; 2001), respectively and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from University of Nairobi, Kenya (1988). Prof Ogendo joined the Department of Agronomy, Egerton University, as an Assistant Lecturer in July 1997 and has risen through merited promotions. Since joining Egerton University, Prof Ogendo has scaled academic and professional heights by successfully completing a second Master’s degree and a PhD degree and has defied the odds to rise to the current position of Associate Professor (April 4, 2013-Present) and Principal, Nakuru Town Campus College (Aug.2021-Present).
Prof Ogendo has wealth of experience in participatory adaptive research, community and consultancy services focusing on bio-intensive pest management, enhanced food and nutrition security and livelihoods in smallholder agriculture. Over the past 2½ decades, Prof Ogendo has found niche in bio-prospecting for botanical pesticides for bio-control of pre- and post-harvest insect pests of staple food crops. In the recent years (1999-2021), he has widened his research and consultancy domain to span underutilized crops (cassava, sweet potatoes, sorghum, indigenous vegetables and orphan crop legumes), climate change and agro-biodiversity. He has been /is Principal /Co-Principal Investigator (PI/Co-PI) and collaborating scientist of eghteen (18) and twenty-one (22) research / community grants and consultancies, respectively all valued at USD 20.696 Million. The above stated grants and consultancies were/are funded by SGCI-NRF, NIFA-USDA, NSF, BBSRC-GCRF, EASTECO, The MasterCard Foundation, The African Union, European Commission, Rockefeller Foundation, CIAT/ECABREN, AICAD, USAID, VicRes, African Union, World Bank, African Development Bank, RUFORUM, Global Center for Food Systems Innovation (GCFSI), Michigan State University, Austrian Development Cooperation and Government of Kenya among others. Some of the notable milestones from his research exploits include the establishment of African Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Agriculture and Agribusiness Management (CESAAM), TAGDev; and human capital development at MSc and PhD levels across Africa. He was instrumental in the signing of MoUs with international (Virginia Tech, USA; Zhejiang University, China; Natural Resources Institute, UK; Florida A & M, USA; Bowie State University, USA) and national (Pwani University; KCB Foundation and Counties of Nakuru, Vihiga and Homa Bay for capacity building of youth and women on agribusiness and value addition) partners.
Prof Ogendo is a prolific scholar with 48 scientific publications in refereed journals, three (3) book chapters’/ book editorial, eight (8) M & E/ consultancies; twelve (12) outreach / extension publications / project reports and seventy-five (75) conference participation; and is a member of thirteen (13) professional bodies. He is currently the Interim President, International Society of Pesticidal Plants (ISPP) and Chair, Pesticidal Plant Technologies Network (PEPTEN), a recently registered national NGO. He has successfully supervised seven (7) MSc and three (3) PhD students and currently supervising 3 MSc and 5 PhD student thesis researches in agronomy (crop production, crop protection, plant breeding and weed science), and agriculture and rural innovation studies. In addition to his professional call, Prof Ogendo is currently the Coordinator, Chuth Ber Health Centre; Chairman, Board of Managament (BOM), Akwakra Mixed Secondary School; Member, BOM, St. Ignatius Loyola Mawego Girls Secondary School (Feb. 2016-Feb 2022), Patron, Akwakra Primary School and Patron, St. Francis Akwakra Catholic Church (mobilizing resources for construction of new church building) all in Rachuonyo North Sub-County, Homa Bay County.