Zacharia Nduati Mwangi

Senior Agricultural Officer | Deputy Chairperson, Crop & Agriculture Health Specialist

Professional Role – Agri-food Systems, Biosecurity & Sustainable Pest Management

OHAAN provides technical leadership in strengthening agri-food systems through improved biosecurity, sustainable pest and disease management, and plant health surveillance. We work with small-scale farmers, extension services, private sector actors, and government institutions to deliver practical, context-appropriate solutions that enhance food safety, farmer resilience, and environmental health.

Our work integrates plant health into One Health coordination by supporting stakeholder engagement, resource mobilisation, and policy development, translating field-level evidence into scalable interventions that reduce chemical misuse and antimicrobial pressure across food systems.

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Impact

OHAAN strengthens biosecurity, pest and mycotoxin surveillance, and sustainable agricultural practices across multiple counties by supporting farmers, extension services, and value chain actors.

We advance the adoption of bio-pesticides and ecological agriculture approaches, reducing reliance on chemical inputs and antimicrobials while improving food safety, livelihoods, and environmental protection.

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Innovation

OHAAN pioneers farmer-centred and data-driven approaches to sustainable crop protection. We deploy ICT-enabled pest monitoring systems, adaptive field demonstrations for bio-products, and integrated surveillance tools to support timely decision-making and behaviour change.

Our innovations also include value chain development in organic and low-input systems—such as coffee and banana—linking sustainable production to market access, resilience, and reduced chemical misuse.

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Policy Contribution

OHAAN contributes technical expertise to the formulation, review, and implementation of national and sub-national policies on plant protection, pest and mycotoxin management, and safe pesticide use.

By aligning field-level evidence with national action plans and One Health priorities, we support stronger regulatory frameworks, AMR-sensitive plant health strategies, and more sustainable agri-food systems.