Patrick M. Kiara

I am Mr Patrick Mwenda Kiara, Ag Deputy Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, State Department of Fisheries based at Fisheries Headquarters, Museum Hill, Nairobi.
I hold a Master of Science (Msc) in Sustainable Aquaculture from Curtin University, Australia and a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) degree in Botany and Zoology from University of Nairobi, Kenya. My Msc
thesis paper was a comparative analysis of management practices and economic viability of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) production in Thika and Kiambu District, Central Kenya.
I have enormous experience in coordination and training activities in Fisheries and Aquaculture and currently am the head of fisheries Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in charge of coordinating the implementation all Government of Kenya (GoK) and Donor funded projects in the Department. I am also the Focal Point for Implementation of Regional Fisheries Strategy (IRFS) for the Eastern – Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Region (ESA-IO) – SmartFish, a European Union (EU) funded project whose aim is to contribute to an increased level of social, economic and environmental development and deeper regional integration in the ESAIO through improved capacities for the sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources. Through the Smartfish project, I have participated in the trainings of fishermen, fish traders and processors on fish handling, fish quality assurance and hygiene in Lake Turkana and Coastal region and as well as participating in a border fisheries inspectors’ training in Uganda.
I coordinate Trilateral Tilapia Project (TTP) funded by the GoK, German and Israel Governments under Tripartite Cooperation covering Western and Nyanza regions. Under the TTP project, I have participated in Training of Training of Trainers (ToTs), fish farmers and fisheries extension officers. The main areas of focus for these trainings were general fish biology, pond construction and management, quality feed and seed production, water quality management and environment impact of aquaculture including best aquaculture practices. I am trained in Environmental Impact Assessment with particular focus of aquaculture. I have successfully coordinated and implemented community based on-farm trials on aquaculture development in Central Kenya under CRISP and participated in developing curriculum for craft certificate in fisheries science and technology at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
I also coordinate Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project Phase Two (LVEMP II), a Work Bank (WB) funded project in Lake Victoria Basin. Under this project, I have participated in the development of training manuals for Beach Management Units (BMUs) which focused on Fisheries management and governance, post-harvest management, group dynamics, financial and business management and Environmental conservation. I am a member the LVEMP II National Steering Committee.
I have good communication skills and a vast knowledge in most computer applications.