Joe Kiarie was born on 14th February 1962, at Limuru, Kiambu District. He went to Nyeri High School for his ‘O’ levels and later joined Lenana School from where he cleared his ‘A’ levels in 1981. He graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering.
He also holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Information Technology. He worked for Kenya Farmers Association as a workshop manager before Joining KARI in 1994. Currently, he is a consultant in Land Resources Management and Environmental Impact and Auditing Assessment. He is married with four children.