Poultry Promotion Officer (x3)

Zambia (Kitwe, Kabwe and Chongwe)

Background:

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening local agriculture, helping agribusinesses create jobs and linking farmers to markets. Since 1981, it has implemented over 315 integrated dairy, livestock, and crops development programs in nearly 80 countries — creating lasting impact by linking farmers, businesses, and the public and private sector in local and global contexts. Land O’Lakes Venture37’s long-standing affiliation with Land O’Lakes, Inc. sets it apart. Land O’Lakes, Inc. is one of America’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives. It supports Land O’Lakes Venture37 project implementation with nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights and technologies. This gives Land O’Lakes Venture37 development projects a unique global view of agriculture, food, and the power of well-functioning market systems. Land O’Lakes, Inc. supports these efforts as part of its enterprise purpose of Feeding Human Progress at home and around the world.

Project Description:

The Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative (AIDI) is a CGIAR initiative consisting of a series of rapid impact interventions aiming to ensure that smallholder farmers in key food production areas of sub-Saharan Africa have the information and innovation they need to offset the increase of food, fuel and fertilizer prices brought on by the war in Ukraine. The initiative aims to support resource-poor smallholder farmers to increase crop production and productivity through access to know-how, fertilizers, improved seeds, and financing mechanisms.

Land O’Lakes Venture37 has a sub-agreement with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to implement a rapid impact intervention focusing on the commercial and indigenous poultry value chains in Zambia. The Accelerated Innovation Delivery Initiative – Livestock (AIDI-L) is a 24-month project whose overall aim is to contribute to improved food and nutrition security and rural incomes in Zambia. Specifically, the project’s purpose is to improve productivity and availability of poultry meat and eggs at household and local market levels through widespread adoption of sustainable livestock innovation. AIDI-L aims to reach 15,000 smallholder households in Zambia through private sector-led, women-and youth- focused innovations in poultry, and 375,000 through poultry vaccination and media campaigns.

Position Summary:

The Poultry Promotion Officer implements AIDI-L field activities as per project work plans in a defined geographical area. The Poultry Promotion Officer will engage poultry producers and support in scaling up Poultry Producer Groups (PDGs), including delivering producer and training of trainers (TOT) trainings, trial innovative poultry production systems, and support access to and scale up of improved dual purpose backyard village chickens and commercial poultry from hatcheries and brooders. The Poultry Promotion Officer will work closely with other team members and stakeholders to support investments in poultry, development of Village Savings and Loan schemes, organize Learning Exchanges, and strengthen delivery of media advisory campaigns on vaccines, health, hygiene, and production.

These posts are based in: Kitwe, Chongwe and Kambe

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead in the mobilization and engagement of poultry producers to build capacity of Poultry Development Groups (PDGs) in area of operations to strengthen ability to access services and inputs.
• Work with stakeholders to support in the development and the establishment of poultry incubation clusters which encompass hatcheries, brooders, and producers.
• Provide training to producers on poultry production, husbandry, health, and climate smart approaches which increase production and productivity.
• Identify lead farmers, facilitate training on use of mobile corrals and CSA approaches, trial mobile corral systems, and use model farms and training-of-trainers to enable peer-to-peer learning to increase adoption and scale-up of improved production practices.
• Link with hatcheries and brooders through the incubation clusters to facilitate producer access and scale-up of improved breeds of dual-purpose backyard village chickens; as well as commercial enterprises access to broilers and layers.
• Provide on-going extension support to poultry producers and TOTs to ensure improved poultry production, productivity, and reduced mortality.
• Support in facilitating learning exchange visits to lead farmers.
• Link producers and PDGs to Village Saving and Loan Schemes, access to cost-share finance, vaccine campaigns and other relevant poultry initiatives.
• Work with stakeholders to amplify media advisory campaigns on vaccines, health, hygiene, and production.
• Collate all data generated into IMPACTS and submit reports, work plans, identified best practices, and all required information in a timely manner.

Reporting & Supervision:

This position reports to the Poultry Promotion Specialist

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science degrees (BSc) in Animal/Poultry Science/Production, Veterinary science Agribusiness, Agricultural, Rural Development, or other relevant fields.
• A minimum of two (2) years of demonstrated relevant field experience in implementation of livestock development projects with an emphasis on poultry.
• Demonstrated experience training and providing extension services to small-scale subsistence and commercial farmers with an emphasis on poultry production.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Able to work with limited supervision and deliver on time.
• Team player with excellent interpersonal and written and oral presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Fluency in oral and written English.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle over challenging terrain and can obtain a motorcycle license within 4 weeks of engagement.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Possess a motorcycle license.
• A Higher National Diploma Animal/Poultry Science/Production, Veterinary science Agribusiness, Agricultural, Rural Development
• Experience working with indigenous/dual purpose poultry with small scale subsistence farmer, as well as with commercial broilers and layer poultry in Zambia.
• Experience providing training on small-scale poultry production.
• Strong command of Chi Bemba or Chi Nyanja or local language spoken in area of operation.