Dr. Rajinder Kumar Saini the CEO and founder of Pestinix is a highly knowledgeable and skilled pest control specialist with over 40 years' experience and is well renowned worldwide. He obtained his MSc from the University of Nairobi, PhD (Entomology) from the University of Wales UK and undertook his post-doctoral research at the USDA-ARS-Insect attractants and basic biology research laboratories in Gainesville Florida USA (now the Centre for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology).

With his expertise in pest behavior and chemical ecology, his goal has been to protect humans and livestock from blood-sucking arthropods, and from stinging, or otherwise damaging insects, through the development of safe and effective methods of management and control. As a Principal Scientist and Programme leader at ICIPE he was involved in development of tools and strategies for shortening the life span of vectors of diseases, development of traps and odor baits for insects and recently prevention or suppression of the interaction taking place between the insects carrying the disease pathogen and their vertebrate hosts through identification of potent natural and synthetic repellents.

Thus, over the years his work has focused on the entire research continuum i.e. from strategic basic research to adaptive research to technology development and transfer through strategic partnerships. He also has considerable experience working closely with the private sector and local communities for technology development, validation and optimization for large scale dissemination. He is also an expert in mobilizing and working with local communities and has considerable experience in working with national systems/government ministries and NGOs.

His work has been recognized internationally because of which he has held several peer positions for FAO, WHO, IAEA and the African Union (AU) and has undertaken several consultancies for these organizations. He has also served as a lecturer for these institutions at their international training courses. He serves on the WHO expert panel for parasitic vectors since 2010. He is also a member of the African Union's International Scientific Council for Trypanosomiasis Research and Control (ISCTRC) for more than 30 years. He has also been a FAO Consultant and an FAO Advisory Coordinator and a member of the steering committee for the Programme Against African Trypanosomiasis (both human and animal sleeping sickness) (PAAT) for 18 years.

Over the years he has been instrumental in raising over US$27 million for various projects and as Project Coordinator, developed, supervised and managed many large projects funded by various donors and led multidisciplinary teams of scientists and technicians in many African countries (see list of projects below). At the time of his retirement from ICIPE in 2017, he was a Principal Scientist, Programme Leader and Head of the Animal Health Division at ICIPE for more than 20 years and coordinated the EU funded tsetse and camel research components of the Integrated Biological and pplied Research programme (IBCARP) which he developed.

Saini's R&D work has yielded 70 peer revived publications, 2 patents and he has edited 2 books: 'Community - Based Environmentally Safe Pest Management' and 'Tropical Entomology'. His work has also been covered in 32 media articles worldwide. He has also mentored more than 10 PhD students and 8 Postdoctoral researchers.

He is also recipient of many international awards. Because of his innovative work, he was awarded the Inaugural ICIPE Medal for Innovative Research ('A Novel Method for Screening Chemicals for Attractancy in Tsetse Flies') in 1985. In 1989, he was again awarded the ICIPE Medal for Innovative Research for 'The Development of an Effective Trapping System for Glossina pallidipes' as a member of multidisciplinary team. The African Union (AU) has also recognized his work and awarded him a Silver Medal for making significant contributions to advances in the understanding and control of African trypanosomes and their vectors. In 2016, the African Union's Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) also rewarded him with a certificate of distinction for his recent work on tsetse repellents.

As for capacity building activities, he has been involved in education and training at all levels - from farmers, extensionists and livestock specialists to policy makers and postgraduate students. His relevant teaching responsibilities have included serving on the Academic Board of the African Regional Post-Graduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS), teaching the Insect Behaviour course to Ph.D. candidates, lecturing for the ICIPE/EU/UNDP and the FAO/IAEA training courses, and supervising postgraduate students. He has also been a lecturer for the International Training Courses on African Trypanosomes (ICAT), sponsored by World Health Organization (WHO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) and Association Against Trypanosomiasis in Africa (ATA).

Majors Projects Coordinated

• European Commission (EC) funded project on Integrated Biological Control Applied Research Programme (IBCARP)       -Up-scaling of tsetse repellent technology and control of vectors of surra, 2015-2017 (€4.5 million)
• European Commission (EC) - funded project on 'Validation and Initiation of Diffusion of Pro-poor and Poor       Environment Tsetse Repellent Technology', 2009-2014 (€ 1.5 million)
• IFAD/FAO - funded project on Development of Innovative site-specific integrated animal health packages for the rural       poor, 2010-2013 (US$1.6 million)
• USDA/ARS - African Sources of Novel Control Strategies for the Southern Cattle Tick (2009-2014) US$30,000
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) - funded project on 'Getting repellent technology out of       the laboratory and to the farmer: Enhancing the transfer, delivery and adoption of a new control technology for       improved livestock health and productivity', 2002 - 2007. (US$1.3 million)
• IFAD - funded project on 'Integrated Approach to the Assessment of Trypanosomosis Control Technologies and their       Impacts on Agricultural Production, Human Welfare and Natural Resources in Tsetse Affected Areas of Africa',       1998-2001. (US$ 100,000)
• BioVision Foundation, Switzerland, 'Mwea National Reserve: Community based tsetse control in Eastern Province,       Kenya' 2004-2007. (US$116,000)
• BioVision Foundation / Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), funded project on 'Tsetse control       through adaptive population management in Ethiopia', 2002-2005. (US$ 245,703)
• The Austrian Development Cooperation - funded project on 'Sustainable Management of Trypanosomosis and       Tsetse Flies through a New Concept: The Lethal Insect Technique (LIT)' 1997-2001. (US$833,000).
• European Union (EU) - funded project on 'Interactive Development and Application of Sustainable Tsetse       Management Technologies for Agropastoral Communities in Africa', 1993-1998. (US$ 6 million)
• UNDP - funded/ World Bank - executed project on 'Development of Efficient and Environmentally Acceptable Tsetse       and Tick Control Strategies for the Tropical Developing World', 1994-1995. (US$1 million).
• WHO - funded project on 'Clarification of factors influencing the transmission of human African trypanosomiasis in       endemic foci in Chad', 2003. (US$ 20,000)