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Joel Glanzberg

Joel Glanzberg is a long-time teacher, designer, and doer.  Joel has focused on the integration of humans in their place in the landscape.  He works to help people learn to understand their places and how to live in them as inhabitants and co-creators. He has been an active Permaculturalist for nearly 25 years. He has been integral to the development of the Permaculture movement in the American Southwest, including the founding of Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute and the creation of an integrated homestead at Santa Clara Pueblo (see Gaia’s Garden by Toby Hemenway).  Joel has taught and worked throughout the US as well as Peru and Brazil.  Currently Joel works nationally and internationally with Regenesis Collaborative (www.regenesisgroup.com). Happiest outside with dirty hands, his many talents include traditional farming, carpentry, blacksmithing and work as an adobero.


John J. Nzira

John Nzira was born in Zimbabwe 23 August 1964, in Rusape, Makoni District, Manicaland. He is dedicated to transferring practical skills for the economic development of vulnerable communities and committed to utilising Permaculture skills and other related subjects as steps towards sustainable living in Africa and beyond. He is also passionate about the management of indigenous natural resources to enhance community health and develop livelihoods. His project management skills include programme conceptualisation & planning, materials development, financial management, project implementation & mentoring, through to monitoring & evaluation.

Apart from English John speaks six African languages and his eighteen years of teaching, promoting and applying Permaculture have made him the most experienced consultant on the continent.

He has served in a number of organizations ranging from Fambidzanai Permaculture Center to Food and Trees for Africa and his work in establishing organic farming initiatives, school  educational activities, food security programs and community projects have resulted in several awards including the Silver Gilt Award  presented by the UK Horticulture Society.

John is currently the Director of Ukuvuna based in South Africa where he is also developing a Permaculture center on the outskirts of Johannesburg and serving as permaculture consultant to several international NGO’s working throughout Africa. 

Ukuvuna's website:  www.ukuvuna.org
Contact John Nzira at:  jonzira@yahoo.com


Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze


Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze is a permaculture designer and consultant, teacher, agriculturalist and manager by profession. His affiliation to SCOPE Programme has taken him around Africa to train participants in colleges and schools. He has taught permaculture design to participants from East, Central and Southern Africa. He has attended international conferences in Germany and Brasil, and is a member of the core planning group of Plan Africa.

Lewis' achievements include:

• Permaculture National Trainer in schools, colleges and communities for 13 years.
• Director of the oldest permaculture centre in Africa.
• Chairperson of two national networks in sustainable agriculture.
• Board member of two regional organizations in permaculture and participatory ecological land use management.
• Participated in land use design of Anchieta in Grajau, Sau Paulo, Brazil.