George K. Gitau

Dr. George K. Gitau graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi, Kenya in 1987. He thereafter obtained a Master of Science from the University of Guelph, Canada (1992) and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Nairobi (1997). Dr. Gitau currently works with the African Union/Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and coordinates AU-IBAR’s project on the Livestock, Wildlife and Environment Interface, among other things. Dr. Gitau is also a Senior Lecturer at the Veterinary School of the University of Nairobi and is currently on leave of absence from the university. Dr. Gitau has specialised in veterinary epidemiology and has over 10 years field experience in smallholder dairy production systems in the highland ecosystems of Kenya. During the last 5 years, Dr. Gitau has been working in the pastoral rangeland ecosystems of Kenya, one of which is the Maasai pastoral ecosystem that has an extensive interaction of people, livestock and environment. One of Dr. Gitau’s interests and working areas currently is the livestock, wildlife and environment interface, which is being pursued together with other scientists and stakeholders and with the support of UNEP-GEF.

Dr. Gitau is attending the WPC AHEAD forum as a representative of AU-IBAR, the coordinator for the IBAR’s project on Livestock, Wildlife and Environment Interface, and Thematic Programme Network 3 (TPN3) Focal Point for UNCCD that addresses the area of “rational use of rangelands and fodder management”.