Isaac Macharia is the General Manager, phytosanitary services in Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). He has been associated with KEPHIS since 2002. He holds a PhD in Plant Virology from the University of New England in Australia and an MSc in plant pathology from the University of Nairobi. He has acquired trainings in phytosanitary which include Pest Risk Analysis and Diagnosis from USDA APHIS and Biosafety Risk Analysis & Virus Identification from Ohio State University in USA.

He has played a key role in the development of phytosanitary measures that have allowed the industry to access and retain markets. This has led to improved inspection services for import and export; development of pest risk analysis report for market access; enhance diagnostic capacity for quarantine pests as well as surveillance for quarantine disease. Other achievement has been in development of pest databases, farm audit systems, electronic certification system and import certification system. He has been instrumental in developing state-of-the-art laboratories which are ISO 17025 accredited.