He has served in various capacities in the agricultural sector for over 35 years spanning from the early eighties until the time his voluntary retirement in 2018. As an agronomist from Egerton University he has worked as an agricultural officer in Nyeri District. Area Manager Coffee Board of Kenya worked as a consultant with Kenya Planter’s Cooperative Union managing large, medium coffee estates, Cooperative Societies and Unions before holding the position of Head Field Services Department during the time when Kenya attained its highest production of around 130,000 Tonnes.
Karugu worked both as a consultant for Coffee Support Network of Solidaridad Netherlands in East and Central Africa and served as the Regional Manager-Africa and India for UTZ Certified www.utzcertified.org and was instrumental in introducing certification standards in Africa and India.
He then set up a Regional office for Solidaridad East and Central Africa www.solidaridadnetwork.org and established offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and served as the Regional Director until his voluntary retirement in 2018. He was a founder member of the Kenya Coffee Platform together with AFCA, RA/UTZ Certified, GCP and has worked closely with AFCA in hosting the last Conference held in Kenya.
