John McKenzie
Professional Qualifications: Grad Dip Education (Secondary)
B Sc (Biological Science) Cert of Permaculture Design
International Aid, Countries of Work Experience: Sri Lanka, India, Haiti, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cuba, El Salvador, Albania,

I have had a long term interest in Permaculture and been a member, organiser and trainer in the permaculture movement for over 25 years.

For much of the past 20 years I have worked in international aid and have supported the use of permaculture influenced activities in many projects. I worked with World Vision for much of the past ten years and before that with Assisi Aid and the ACF. My major professional sectors have been; food security, natural resource management and water & sanitation.
As well as project work I have worked extensively in staff capacity building and the development of learning cultures. I have facilitated many workshops, conferences and forums in the aid sector to bring people together, to share and advance their work.

My enduring commitment is to community development and in particular to rural development, to see land productively and sustainably used for resource management and livelihood provision.

Before entering the international aid sector I worked as a school teacher, welfare worker and before that in forestry, farming and building trades. I have had a long involvement with gardening, both occupationally and as a hobby. I’ve cultivated a food garden for many years (with both success and failure) and been involved in seedling and plant nurseries.