Dutch Farm Experience
Independent livestock consultant
Born in 1956 Katrien van 't Hooft has graduated as a veterinarian in Utrecht, the Netherlands. During her 12-year fieldwork with various farmers’ organizations and ministries of agriculture in Latin America (Nicaragua and Bolivia) she has gradually learned to combine technical experience in animal production systems with innovative methodological approaches.
Later on Van 't Hooft was involved with numerous programs in Africa and Asia through programs of ETC Foundation: Compas and Prolinnova. Curious to learn more about the situation of the farmers in her own country, she worked with sustainable dairy farmers in the Netherlands, in the Duurzaam Boer Blijven program between 2007 and 2011.
Author of various publications (including films) she is passionate about strengthening ‘people-centred’ approaches towards sustainable livestock development: Endogenous Livestock Development (ELD). Since 2005 Van 't Hooft is one of the coordinators of the ELD international network and facilitator of the ELDev mailing list that links around 400 experts in livestock development throughout the world.
Over the years she Van 't Hooft developed an extended network – both in developing countries the Netherlands. Moreover she has developed an array of practical technical expertise, especially in the field of sustainable dairy production. She has become an experienced trainer with clear insights in the challenges and opportunities related to (livestock) development issues – with a special focus on linking the lessons learnt in countries like the Netherlands to the realities of developing countries. Being a natural team player with a critical mind, she has also guided numerous young development professionals in their career orientation (in January 2011 she was formally graduated as personal Enneagram personal coach).
At present Van 't Hooft is an independent livestock consultant with Dutch Farm Experience: training and tours for international visitors to innovative and sustainable Dutch farm initiatives; providing background info on Dutch Agriculture and relevant lessons for developing countries.