ACG member profiles: Dr David Moffatt (BSc Agriculture 1966, PhD 1971)
David was born and bred in the North East graduating from the Faculty of Agriculture in 1967. He was awarded a Leverhulme Scholarship to spend twelve months on the Royal Society/Royal Geographical Society Xavantina Cachimbo Expedition in Mato Grosso, Central Brazil. He returned to the Faculty of Agriculture to elaborate the fieldwork for submission of a PH.D. In 1971 David joined the then Ministry of Overseas Development (now Department for International Development) and was posted to The Gambia as a member of a team preparing an Agricultural Development Plan for the country. From there he moved to Indonesia to assist in the formulation of a Water Resources Master Plan for Bali. David left the Ministry in 1976 and joined a consultancy company specialised in international rural development. He spent 25 years with that company working in more than 20 countries in Africa, South America, Asia and South East Asia. For the latter half of that time he was the Managing Director of the consultancy which ultimately covered rural development, environment, training, fisheries, and water supply and sanitation. In 2001 David went back to his roots and became a freelance consultant, since when he has worked on a series of short-term assignments mainly in South East Asia and mostly for the Asian Development Bank. He has now largely retired and devotes more time to cycling, walking, helping with grandchildren, following Newcastle United and as time thereafter permits writing up some of his travels. Although based in the Midlands David retains a strong bond with Newcastle – the University, the City and the football team and spends much time in Northumberland.
