Dr. Ajangale Nelly Isyagi, B.V.M. (Mak), MSc. (WUR), PhD (Stir).

Dr. Isyagi has made significant contributions to aquaculture development and aquatic animal health and welfare within Uganda and Africa as a whole, since 1996.  Her postgraduate studies centred on aquaculture, with MSc. and PhD degrees in fish health and production systems, respectively, providing a thorough all-round background. While working at the Aquaculture Research Development Center, she pioneered the establishment of the Center’s fish health, seed production & breeding, nutrition, production systems and socioeconomics programs.  She was the Pond & Hatchery specialist for the then-MAAIF/USAID Fisheries for Investment and Sustainable Harvest (FISH) Project (2005-2008), where she was additionally in charge of fish health management, biosecurity control, and environmental compliance. After the project she worked as a private practitioner offering aquatic veterinary and aquaculture technical services to farmers.  She is currently African Union Interafrican Bureau of Animal Resources’ (AU-IBAR) focal point for aquatic animal health & welfare, fisheries and aquaculture trade and investment, and secretary to AU-IBAR’s Aquatic Animal Health Experts Committee.    She is involved the development of continental and international standards and guidelines for sustainable aquaculture development and aquatic animal health that include, having served on WOAH ad hoc committee to update Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway tool.  She is a member of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards Technical Committee on Fish and Fishery Products, the Uganda Association of Impact Assessors (UAIA), the World Aquaculture Society (WAS), which recognized her role in the establishment of the WAS-African Chapter with an Honorary Award in 2025, the Uganda Women's Fish Organization, and the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA) for which she was President in 2025.