Noel OETTLE

Noel Oettlé holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Development from the University of London. He worked as an organic farmer before serving for 8 years as the founding Director of the Farmer Support Group at the University of KwaZulu Natal, where he developed and taught an undergraduate curriculum in participatory agricultural extension. Subsequently he served for 22 years as Rural Programme Manager for the Environmental Monitoring Group. Much of his professional work has been focused on action research with members of rural communities to enhance their livelihoods by the sustainable use of natural resources, and by improving market access for indigenous rooibos tea. His professional work has contributed to the implementation of the United Nations Multilateral Agreements on the environment, including the UNCCD, the UNFCCC and the UNCBD, at local, national and international levels. He has advanced the articulation between local and international analysis and action and served as the CSO Observer on the UNCCD Science Policy Interface 2020 - 22.  Between 2020 and 2022 he led the implementation of the component “Actionable knowledge on agroecology implementation is assumed and adopted by agroecology practitioners across the drylands” of the GEF-funded, 7 country AVACLIM project. Currently he serves as the Technical Lead for the 2025 -27 GEF-funded global “Strengthening Civil Society Role in Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality” project of the Drynet network and IUCN with Indigo development & change. He is an agroecological practitioner and lives on a small farm in the Northern Cape of South Africa.