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BIOS
Rebecca holds a PhD in Plant Science (Pollination Studies) & Msc in Plant Ecology. Her main areas of study include Biodiversity and Ecosystems analysis and conservation, pollination studies, Environmental Impact Assessment, Climate change and Sustainable Land Management. She has been trained on aspects of Biodiversity mapping, Climate Smart Agriculture and livelihoods restoration.
She is an Associate Professor in Ecology and Conservation section at Kenyatta University, Editor in Chief for African Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences (AJPAS) and member of the University Research, Collaborations and Innovation committee. She is a lead environmental expert with National Environment Management Authority and a trainer for Environment Institute of Kenya on issues of Biodiversity mapping, assessment and Management.
Rebecca is involved in research collaboration with local institutions such as iCIPE (CIAT & The Africa Reference Laboratory for Bee Health), National Museums of Kenya and Kenya Agriculture Livestock Research Organisation.Internationally Rebecca is involved in research with International collaborators such as University of Cambridge, National Institute of Agriculture Botany (Niab-UK) and Université Libre de Bruxelles among others.
She is a peer reviewer for National Research Fund-NRF, National Council of Science and Technology-NACOSTI, Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Projects and Commission of University Education.
Research Interests:
- Ecosystem services: Role of pollination and pollinators in crop production
- Plant/Environmental Ecology: interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in crop production mainly organic farming, mulching and climate smart agriculture;
- Biodiversity Assessments: Preliminary Ecological surveys; abundance and diversity of plant species, conservation status-IUCN categorisation, Legislative and regulatory frameworks in conservation including International Conventions.
- Agroecology: Role of climate smart agriculture in improving fertility, pest control,livelihoods food security/ enhancement of yields and pest control;
- Environmental ecology: Assessments of Environmental Impacts of Development projects on the flora of an area.
- Landscape Restoration:Restoration and conservation of degraded fragile ecosystems such as hilltops and wetlands, alternative livelihoods, participatory community conservation efforts and ecological benefits of landscape restoration.
PUBLICATIONS
- Nang’oni Mary Stella, Muo Kasina, Karanja Rebecca, , Guantai Mary, Kinyanjui Rahab, Omuse Evanson , Lattorff Michael, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Marian Ada, Samira A Mohamed and Thomas Dubois (2025) Annual Diversity Of Honey Bee Pollen Sources In Two Pumpkin Growing Landscapes, Machakos County, Kenya. Journal of Pollination Ecology, 38(7), 2025, pp 97-109.DOI: 10.26786/1920-7603(2025)809.
- Kasiera W ,Pozo M. I,Toroitich K, Karanja R ,Odhiambo M , Jaramillo J, Hundt B, van Langevelde F& Nkoba K (2024). When size matters: effectiveness of three endemic African stingless bees as watermelon pollinators. Apidologie (2024) 55:48 https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-024-01092-6 © INRAE, DIB and Springer-Verlag France SAS. Springer Nature, 2024.8.11.
- Muthama E, Samita NE, Dharani N & Karanja R (2024). Enhancing Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices: A Focus on the Production of African Indigenous Vegetables and Pulses in Kenya. Int J Agriculture Technology. 2024; 4(1): 1-11.
- Nang’oni M, W, Karanja R , Guantai M.M,& Omuse E.R & Kasina, M. (2023). Pollinator Diversity and Floral Calendar of Forage Resources for Pumpkin, Machakos County, Kenya. African Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences.Volume 4
- Muia, E.M., Karanja, R., Samita, N.E., Dharani, N (2023-September) Impacts of Selected Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices on African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenyan Drylands. Trends in Agricultual Sciences.DOI: 10.17311/tas.2023.378.386
- Wairimu K.J , Rebecca N. Karanja, and Ngaruiya G.W (2023). Indigenous Use and Commercialization of Urtica dioica l. from Local Communities of Kieni West Sub County, Nyeri County, Kenya. Jounal of Environmental Science and Public Health. ISSN: 2575-9612.DOI:10.26502/jesph.96120183.
- Eregae, J.E , Njogu P.M , Karanja R.H & Gichua M.K. (2023) Economic Assessment of Selected Regulatory Ecosystem Services (RES) in the Elgeyo and Nyambene Watersheds Ecosystems in Kenya. Open Journal of Forestry, 2023, 13, 200-224. https://www.scirp.org/journal/ojf ISSN Online: 2163-0437ISSN Print: 2163-0429. DOI: 10.4236/ojf.2023.132013.
- Koech J, Karanja, R.H, Kurgat , J.K , Mokaya H.O, Thomas Dubois & Lattorff M.G (2023),Pesticide contamination and their botanical sources in pollen loads collected by honeybees in Kenya: A spatio-temporal context. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 343 (2023) 108264.
- Changa Y, Middleton R, Ogawab , Gregory, T.Y, Steinera VL.M, Kovaleve A, Karanja R.H, Rudall P.J, Glover B.J , Stanislav N. Gorbe , and Vignolina, S. (2021); Cell wall composition determines handedness reversal in helicoidal cellulose architectures of Pollia condensata fruits. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. PNAS 2021 Vol. 118 No. 51 e2111723118: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111723118
- Chebet G, Mbugua P.K and Karanja R.(2021) Uses and community perception on the value and status of Prunus africana (Hook. F) Kalkm across Western Mau Forest. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 11, Issue 11, November 2021. ISSN 2250-3153. DOI:10.29322/IJSRP.11.11.2021.p11905. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.11.11.2021.p11905
- Nyanumba N., Karanja R.H. & Gikungu M. (2021)Diversity and Abundance of Bee Flower Visitors of Beans in Borabu Sub-County, Western Kenya. Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research . ISSN: 2624-814X, Vol. 13, pp 24-31. doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/JHPR.13.24.
- Eregae J.E , Njogu P.W , Karanja RH & Gichua M (2021) Economic Valuation for Cultural and Passive Ecosystem Services Using a Stated Preference (Contingent Valuation Method (CVM)Case of the Elgeyo Watershed Ecosystem, Kenya. International Journal of Forestry Research Volume 2021, Article ID 5867745, 12 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5867745
- Macharia JM, Gikungu MW, Karanja RH and Okoth S (2020). Managed bees as pollinators and vectors of bio control agent against grey mold disease in strawberry plantations. African Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 16(12), pp. 1674-1680, December, 2020 DOI: 10.5897/AJAR2020.15203. Article Number: 62FF03B65536 ISSN: 1991-637X Copyright ©2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.academicjournals.org/AJAR
- Karanja R, Muia, A.W, Ngigi A.N, Kariuki C, Kariuki, M.J & Mukundi, R.N (2020) Effects of pesticide use on weeds, pollinators and microbial activity in Nzoia Sugar Basin of Western Kenya. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. Vol. 12(4), pp. 283-290, October-December 2020 DOI: 10.5897/IJBC2019.1365 Article Number: 0C7611764936 ISSN 2141-243X ISSN 2141-243X Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.academicjournals.org/IJBC
- Nyamwamu N. C, Karanja, R. & Mwangi, P.N (2020) Relation between Soil Weed Seedbank and Weed Management Practises and Diversity in Farms in Kisii Central Sub County, Nyanza. Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research. Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research. ISSN: 2624-814X, Vol. 10, pp 1-14.doi:10.18052/www.scipress.com/JHPR.10.1.
- Nyamwamu, N.C, Karanja, R. & Mwangi, P.N (2019) Diversity of Weed Species in Farms Kisii Central Sub-County, Western Kenya. Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research. Journal of Horticulture and Plant Research .ISSN: 2624-814X, Vol. 6, pp 11-19 .SciPress Ltd., Switzerland.
- Nyamwamu N. C, Karanja, R. & Mwangi, P.N (2017) Influence of weed management practices on weed diversity in farms in Kisii Central Sub County, Western Kenya. International Journal of Scientific Research and Innovative Technology ISSN: 2313-3759 Vol. 4 No. 10.
- Patent: Koimburi B.N.,Gitau, M.K, Wangai, L.N, Karau, G.M., Karanja R.H.N & Ndura, P.K (2015): Capparis tomentosa; Medicinal product used in management of chronic diseases (2015).
- Wangai N. Laura, Brenda Wamae Waithera, Muriira Geoffrey Karau, Ndura Boniface Koimburi, Philip Karanja Ndura, Rebecca Karanja, Michael Kimani Gitau and Peter Kirira ( 2015); Investigation of the in vitro antioxidant activity, in vivo antidiabetic efficacy and safety of Capparis tomentosa aqueous roots extracts in male alloxanized mice. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2015; 3(1): 42-47.
- Karanja R.H, Gikungu, M.W, Njoroge G.N & Newton L.E. (2014) Pollination Efficiency of bee species pollinating Coffea arabica in Kiambu County Kenya. Current Research Journal of Biological Science.
- Kuja J.O , Jackson R.R , Godfrey O. Sune, Karanja R.H , Lagat Z.O and Carvell G.E(2012). Nectar Meals Of A Mosquito-Specialist Spider. Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. Volume 2012, Article ID 898721, 7 pages: doi:10.1155/2012/898721
- Karanja R.H, Gikungu, M.W, Njoroge G.N, Newton L.E. and Kihoro J.M (2013).The role of bee pollinators in improving berry weight and coffee cup quality. Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 5(3): 52-55, 2013
- Karanja R.H, Gikungu, M.W, Njoroge G.N & Newton L.E. and Kihoro J.M (2011).Comparison of Bee Pollinators of Coffee in Organic and Conventional Farms. Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 3(6): 469-474, 2011 ISSN:2041-3890
- Karanja R.H, Gikungu, M.W, Njoroge G.N & Newton L.E. (2010) Bee interactions with wild flora around organic and conventional coffee farms in Kiambu district, central Kenya. Journal of Pollination Ecology, 1(2), 2010 pp 7-12.
- Karanja R.H.N. (2009). Conservation status of exploited endangered species, Mount Kenya. VDM Publishing house.
- Njoroge, G.N, Ngamau, K., Wanjala, C. & Karanja R. H.N (2008). Pollination studies in various cropping systems in Mwingi: Case study of Agrobiodiversity. Project report F.A.O 2008.
Other Trainings
- Proposal Review for Climate Smart Agriculture Projects 17th to 20th September 2019.
- International good practice for biodiversity management in development projects" training course (5 March 2019, Nairobi)
- The Economic Assessment of Landbased Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. European Union/GIZ/UNDP
- Researching the convergence of sustainable Agriculture, Informal Community Learning and Appropriate Technology. June 2018.
- Fundamentals of Oil and Gas exploration and Production: Key environmental considerations- Executive 90-minute Webinar introducing key environmental considerations related to oil and gas exploration and production. Webinar hosted by : Marisol Estrella, Saad Ibrahim, Joppe Cramwinckel, Inga Petersen, Chidinma Zik-Ikeorha Date : Thursday, 19 July 2018.
- Peer Reviewers Training. Commission for University Education.
- Kenya Climate Action Learning Conference (UKAID Climate Action SDG 13:Kenya’s Journey and the Path Ahead). May 2018.
- Climate Resilience in International Value Chains. "Becoming a Climate Expert" Training of Trainers” training by International Trade Centre (ITC). June 2018
- Measuring Green House Gases Emissions using EX-ACT tool for AFOLU. World Bank Online Course.
- Community Mitigation for Climate Change in Agriculture (Micca) 2013/2014 .FAO
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) 2012: Exploring tradeoffs around farming livelihoods and Environment.
- Netherland Government (NFP / TP-Fellowship) International Trainers of Trainers on Wetland Management 2010: Facilitation and Multi-stakeholder Processes and Curriculum Development.
- Earth watch Institute Award 2009 to study Ecological / Environmental Monitoring at Mt Mulanje-Malawi.
- Ethno-ecology, Community-based Conservation and Participatory Video. Sponsored by Christensen fund-Port Elizabeth South Africa (2007)
- UNESCO (People and Plants initiative) Msc Scholarship (1998-2001).
International Consultancies.
I have been a consultant for over 50 assignments. The most relevant include:
- Nov 2023-Ongoing:End Of Project Evaluation Of The Transforming Rural Economies And Youth Livelihoods (TREYL) Project, Kenya. Practical Action.
- September to October 2023 National consultant for Natural Resources Management supporting in review and developing a Project Completion Report for Upper Tana Catchment Natural Resources Management Project.IFAD.
- May 2023 to Oct 2024 International Panel of Experts (IPE)/ Environmental /Biodiversity Expert for Shire Valley Transformation Programme (1) funded by world bank and The Government Of Malawi Ministry Of Agriculture.
- Oct 2022 to Feb 2023: A team leader of 3 experts; 1 international and 2 local experts supporting AfDB in Audit of Environmental and Social Safeguards (E&S) through NIRAS International.
- November 2021 to November 2023 Independent Environmental Dam Experts for 10 Dam projects for providing water for Irrigation in Malawi for IFAD
- October 2021 to October 2022 Independent Oversight Agent for IFAD funded projects in Upper Tana
- December 2021 to March 2022: National Consultant for Terminal Evaluation for UNDP GEF funded projects
- October 2021 to March 2022 Biodiversity Safeguards Analysis Expert for the Small Hydropower projects in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sierraleone and Malawi for IFC.
- August 2021 Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA), Mapping biodiversity , critical habitats and possibility of creating green corridors in agricultural and Industrial development in Green Heart Kenya.
- November 2020 Consultancy Services For Assessment Of The Maroochi Project Against Proparco Biodiversity Requirements: To assess biodiversity sensitivities in High Carbon stock areas and High conservation areas. Client: Kenya Nut Company
- September 2020: Development of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for the Resilience for People and Landscapes Programme (REPLAP). Client: IUCN.
- June 2020 to December 2021.Environmental Baseline studies and Catchment Management Plans for Angololo Water Resources Development Project in Kenya and Uganda by Nile Basin Initiative.
- (2019 to 2020): Ecological and Economic valuation of Dedha system in Isiolo among the pastoral Community as a means of enhancing food security, sustainable livelihoods and Sustainable Rangeland Management Practise. Client: GIZ.- Protected areas and community conservancies.
- 2019-January 2020 Consultancy Services To Carry Out Community Proposal Appraisal (Both Desk), Implementation Monitoring And Evaluation As An Independent Oversight Agent. Client: IFAD
- 2018: Supporting the Implementation of Kenya’s National Green Economy Strategy Through the Development of Low through the Development of Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Projects and Resource Mobilisation. Client: National Environmental Trust Fund (NETFUND)-PEGASUS AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST.
- 2018-ongoing: Trainer of Trainers in Environmental and Social Impact Assessment; Environmental and Social Safeguards, Strategic Environmental Assessments Location: Nairobi Kenya. Client: Environment Institute of Kenya.
- 2017/2018: Project Results Assessment for Green Zones Development Support Project and Kimira Oluch small holder farm improvement project (2005-2016) implemented by Kenya Forest Service and Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation in 17 counties. Client: African Development Bank,
- 2017: Feasibility Studies, Detailed Design And Tender Documents For The Nyimur Multipurpose Water Project (Environmental Baseline studies component/Water catchment Management strategies).Location: Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan. Client: Nile Basin Initiative (Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program -NELSAP)
- 2014: Mid term review of the Community Environment Facility (Community Development Programme Phase 4) implemented in Mt Kenya, Aberdares, Cherangani, Mt Elgon and Mau water towers through Community Development Trust Fund. Client Agricom Consultants/European Union
- 2014-2016: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the proposed Lesso/Keben Multipurpose Dam in Nandi Forest, Nandi County Client: Agricom Consultants/National Irrigation Board
- 2014: Proposal Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation of Community Projects in the Upper Tana Catchment Client: Upper Tana Natural Resources Management/IFAD
- 2014: Midterm Evaluation of projects geared towards Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Management for Improved Food Security In Agro pastoral Production Systems In Kenya (Daadab, Kyuso, Mbeere and Narok) Client: UNDP (United Nations Environmental Program)
- 2013: Baseline assessment of Sustainable Land Management Practices in Laikipia County region in line with the COMDEKS approach (Community Development and Knowledge Management for the Satoyama) and identification of gaps for Small Grant Program United Nations Development Programme
- 2013: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the proposed Suba Irrigation Development Scheme in Homabay, Mbita and Migori counties. Client: National Irrigation Board/Agricom Consultant.
Patents
- Koimburi B.N.,Gitau, M.K, Wangai, L.N, Karau, G.M., Karanja R.H.N & Ndura, P.K (2015): Capparis tomentosa; Medicinal product used in management of chronic diseases (2015).
Membership of Professional Associations:
- Member, of Environment Institute of Kenya . Member No: EIK/1/1593
- Registered Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit Lead Expert, National Environmental Management Authority, Kenya (NEMA). Registration Number 2680
- Member, Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) 2021 to 2023
- Vetted Climate Change and Resilience Expert for UNDP
- Member, Ecological Society of Eastern Africa (ESEA)
- Former Patron, Jomo Kenyatta Model Of United Nations (JKMUN)
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