FZS ZAMBIA NORTH LUANGWA CONSERVATION PROGRAMME EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Position: Community Conservation Educator (CCE) – Lead Farmer

Location: Nabwalya Chiefdom – Mpika District
The project is a partnership between the Africa Range-Wide Cheetah Conservation Initiative (CCI), supported by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), and field-based NGOs Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Zambian Carnivore Program (ZCP), and Conservation South Luangwa (CSL).  Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) conserves wildlife and ecosystems focusing on protected areas and outstanding wild places. FZS maintains long-term conservation programmes in Africa, South America, Asia and Europe. The Africa Programme is FZS’ largest and oldest and is active in five focal countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe (www.fzs.org).

Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) works in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) through the North Luangwa Conservation Programme (NLCP) to protect and conserve the North Luangwa landscape. The NLCP supports effective and efficient protected area management, with a wider focus on empowering communities to manage natural resources in the Game Management Areas adjacent to the park. The NLCP’s mission ‘Linking livelihoods and landscapes,’ seeks to address key challenges by taking holistic approaches for more resilient socio-ecological systems.

Learn more at www.northluangwa.org about our conservation programme.

Purpose and Objectives of the CCE – Lead Farmer Position 
In line with the NLCP strategy, the Community Conservation Educator (CCE) – Lead Farmer is a field-based position to support implementation of conservation compatible / Conservation Agriculture, Climate Change and Human Wildlife Coexistence (HWCoex) related matters. The CCE – Lead Farmer should therefore support an improved understanding of responsible conservation agricultural practices, hence enhancing food security through improved agricultural production, whilst guiding farmer led HWCoex messaging and training, and responsible natural resources management inclusive of advocacy for cheetah conservation with the resident custodian communities within the Nabwalya Chiefdom.

Key Performance Areas of the CCE – Lead Farmer

This is a key role in the NLCP Landscape Integration Unit (LIU), in support of the Cheetah conservation project. It is expected of the ideal candidate to exhibit knowledge, skills and attributes in the following ways:

1.    Support to Lead and follower farmers

• Engage with traditional leaders / VAGs to identify potential and willing individuals to engage in climate smart agriculture / conservation farming depending on funds availability
• Ensure that lead farmers recruit, engage and support or mentor follower farmers
• Collect the coordinates of individual lead and follower farmers and their land parcels
• Conduct and compile farmer registration in the assigned VAGs / areas
• Ensure that there is full compliance of conservation agreements and Village Land use Plans (VLUPs) by the farmers
• Organise and capture photos of lead farmer agricultural practices  every month for monitoring and verification purposes
• Support the most vulnerable social groups (particularly women and households headed by women)

2.    Lead farmer training and mentorship support

• Support the development of the training curriculum for both poultry and crop farming and the protection thereof
• With guidance from management, facilitate trainings for farmers in HWCoex, conservation agriculture, poultry farming and protection, with a key focus on messaging around cheetah conservation
• Facilitate farmer discussions through focussed group discussions on natural resource management, wildlife conservation including cheetah conservation, environmental, climate change and associated socio-economic topics which may include among others food security, nutrition, agroforest, fishing etc
• Support farmer training in Pfumvudza holistic agricultural land management and compost / organic manure making
• Ensure that training equipment / materials (input) are available for the farmers
• Distribute conservation livelihood books to farmers and ensure that the books / handouts are used correctly and monitored
• Prepare progress reports with the lead and follower farmers
• Support the development of the local language (Bemba and Bisa) conservation agriculture, HWCoex and climate change education materials along-side the lead farmers for dissemination in local communities as and when needed
• Support needs assessment activities / baseline surveys when needed

3.    Awareness campaigns (natural resource management, cheetah conservation, conservation farming, climate change, health and nutrition, coexistence with wildlife)

• Collaborate with the schools, mini change, Safe Motherhood Actions Groups (SMAGs), Community Health Workers (CHW), Community conservation banks (CoCoBas), other Community Based organisation (CBOs), to facilitate environmental and social campaigns
• Work with other CCEs within the Chiefdom to raise awareness on a particular selected issue, targeting various audiences including schools, farmers, religious groups, CRBs and VAGs
• Ensure that the campaign is well documented and that a success story is told
• Inspire the participants to spread key conservation messages through campaigns, cluster meetings, workshops and seminars for community behavioral change

General Administration and Other Tasks

• May be required to give support to other CCEs in planning (lesson delivery) and distribution of termly timetables, letters and other schedules for mini change groups, conservation clubs in schools and the broader community
• Ensure timely ordering and purchase of supplies, facilitating resources/materials and keeping of detailed inventories for the equipment or tools used by farmers
• Assist with the organisation and coordination of community meetings, workshops, seminars, and general administrative tasks such as taking minutes, writing invitation letters, logistics etc

Required skills, experience and qualifications

• Holder of a full Grade 12 School Certificate with good grades and better especially in Maths and English.
• Diploma in Agriculture, education, wildlife management / conservation / natural resources management, ecology, community development or rural development and equivalent will be an added advantage.
• At least 1 year of practical field experience in rural areas working with NGOs, private sector, government, parastatal organizations preferably in Game Management Areas (GMA)
• Must possess basic knowledge and workings of rural development, CBNRM, principles of good governance, and general wildlife and natural resources management in Zambia
• Basic knowledge of existing agricultural, natural resources and wildlife policies; legal frameworks and legislation will be an advantage.
• Basic practical experience working with traditional authorities and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) will be an added advantage.
• Strong Community Mobilization skills will be an advantage.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft word, excel, SPSS and other research tools will be an added advantage
• Able to communicate in Bemba, Bisa Nyanja and/or Senga

We Offer:

• Engaging and meaningful work with room for your ideas
  Opportunity to contribute towards the protection of an impressive landscape in Zambia
• Form part of a dynamic and motivated team, as well as the larger FZS team working to secure outstanding wild places across the globe
• Flat hierarchy, opportunities for further training

The position will be based in Nabwalya Chiefdom, Mpika, Zambia.

Your application:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications to [email protected]. Hard copies can be dropped at the FZS / DNPW Office in Mpika or Nabwalya CRB.  Please include the following documents in your application:

1. A cover letter explaining why you should be considered for this position.
2. A comprehensive CV highlighting your relevant experience and achievements.
3. Contact details for two referees (who will not be contacted without your permission).

Please mark your application as Community Conservation Educator (CCE) – Lead Farmer

Application Deadline: Tuesday, 13th August 2024

Note: Due to limited resources and a high volume of applications, we will only contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

FZS values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity.