The Barney Planter Trust is run by 3 Trustees based in UK.  The field work is currently being done around the Timau area, to the north  of Mount Kenya, East Africa.

The following are instrumental in supporting the Trust.

Barney Muckle is the inventor of the Barney Planter.  He developed the tool over many years at his farm on the western slopes of Mount Kenya.

Barney Muckle was an agricultural engineer with over 50 years field experience in all parts of Africa.  In 1966 he spent 18 months in Sierra Leone on secondment from (then) Silsoe Agricultural College, UK.  In 1973 he joined the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and moved to Algiers where he worked on various intermedite and appropriate technology projects. 

In 1977 Barney moved to Kenya with the FAO where he was project manager in Nakuru.  Here he was tasked with creating a large scale evaluation program testing small farm machinery for use in Kenya.  Over the next decade Barney travelled throughout Kenya initiating many projects in crop management, animal husbandry, water management, alternative energy and low technology techniques.

After retiring from the FAO Barney became a consultant conducting field research for World Bank, FAO, International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Ethiopia, Gabon, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.  He also acted as external examiner for the University of Nairobi and informally advising small projects in and around his locality.

Sadly Barney passed away on 5th May 2024 after a short illness near his farm where he continued to live, write and interact enthusiastically with the global CA community.

In his book 'Good Work' EF Schumacher says ..."Now, a young engineer at the college, his name is Barney Muckle, recalled that our forefathers used semi-stationary engines...So a team set to work...and they came up with a machine they christened the Snail."

 Stanley Muriuki Samson

Stanley is a small scale farmer who lives near Muramati, Laikipia, Kenya. He thinks deeply about all the activities he undertakes. Stanley's main interest is increasing food production. 

He hopes to achieve this by the application of conservation agriculture at an affordable cost. He has expertize in evaluating technologies and indicating their potential value and where modification may be needed.  He and his wife are experts in the use of work animals donkeys and oxen, while Stanely also handles camels.

Stanley has undertaken a variety of projects such as donkey weeding to reduce chemicals on Lord Deremare's Soysambu estate and the use of a camel scoop to increase capacity of water pans in arid areas.

Due to his religious background he is very confident and capable when addressing groups of people in a variety of local languages as well as English. He has a passport and has been a member of Government delegations.

Stanley is a great supporter of the Barney Planter and has organised several training sessions with women's groups around the Timau area, as well facilitating the training of local artisans in the planters construction.  He provides demonstrations of the planter at agricultural events, most recently at Kisima Farm Conservation Agriculture Day.  

Simon Taylor

Simon met Barney’s son Martin when they both attended Harper Adams Agricultural College over 30 year ago. They travelled to Kenya together, staying at Barney’s small holding in the north of the country.
Simon was brought up on a dairy farm in Cheshire, UK and has always been involved in either agriculture or horticulture .
Simon has a passion for permaculture and sustainable agricultural practices. He travelled across the USA working with local farmers and growers . He sailed around Belize and landed in Honduras where he initiated various local tree planting projects .
Simon currently looks after a large property and smallholding in West Sussex where he has plans to plant a small vineyard next year. 

Richard Hoblyn

Richard Hoblyn is a financier with over 45 years experience in international banking, money broking, bullion trading & private stockbroking. Mr Hoblyn has been a founder Fellow of the Chartered Securities & Investment Institute, London, a Member of iFs School of Finance (Institute of Bankers) and a Council Member of the International Equity Dealers Association. He has worked for Chartered Bank, MW Marshall & Co, Derby & Co (Engelhard Industries) and many securities firms where he managed around £100M+ of private assets & advised various UK listed companies. Mr. Hoblyn specialised in 90s in TMT and more recently in resources. He has been involved in a number of London listed ‘shells’, notably BCE into Rage Software, AH Ball into medi@invest, IPSO Ventures into Plutus PowerGen and has co-founded Black Bear Energy Resources (o&g in Michigan) as well as Selection Mines in 2020 & LonGuy Gold Limited in 2024. Mr. Hoblyn has interests in agri having advised large Estates on sustainability & commercial enterprises

Martin Muckle

As the son of Barney, Martin has also spent a great deal of time in Africa.  From travelling to Sierra Leone at 18 months old to teaching in Nairobi to running a business for 6 years all over Kenya, Martin has developed a passion for appropriate  technology in an African environment. The multi-faceted requirement of designing and building effective appropriate technology has fascinated Martin for decades.  He himself designed and built solar-powered computer labs for rural Kenyan primary schools.  
After His involvement in a small project to evaluate the Barney Planter by the University of Essex, Martin discovered that the women in the project had continued to use the Barney Planter even after the end of the project.  This local acceptance is what prompted Martin to create a charity to further the use of the Barney Planter.

Martin currently lives with his family in Northern Scotland where he works as a secondary school science teacher.