Background

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on responsibility for the long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. African Parks manages 24 protected areas in 13 countries covering over 20 million hectares in Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Job Overview

The Junior Agriculture Extension Officer will provide field-level and technical support to the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer to ensure that Liuwa Plain National Park maintains high standards in the implementation of planned smallholder farmer productivity and sustainable agriculture interventions. Working under the direct supervision of the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer, the role will support the delivery of agricultural extension services, farmer engagement, and routine monitoring activities that contribute to improved livelihoods, food security, and alignment with the Park’s Conservation Strategy.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Sensitize and mobilize communities, Traditional and Government Camp Assemblies on all project activities.
• Conduct a camp assessment to identify partners, potential sites for implementation of project interventions, population per village and possible challenges. Identify and prioritize potential zones and villages that can benefit from the planned project intervention.
• Map the area and organize villages into clustered villages for effective implementation, monitoring and visibility of project interventions.
• Submit monthly progress reports and monthly field work plans to the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer for review and approval.
• Promote the Farmer Field School and the Lead Farmer Extension Approach and achieve the set targets.
• Facilitate the establishment of demonstrations managed by lead farmers and selected beneficiaries to showcase best agronomic practices such as Conservation Agriculture (CA) for farmers to adopt in the production of priority crops.
• Facilitate the formation of farmer groups/club with membership drawn from one village. Facilitate the selection of lead farmers to manage demonstration plots.
• Provide formal and informal training to farmers in good agronomic practices, conservation agriculture, seed multiplication, small livestock, Agroforestry, fuel efficient cookstoves and other related practices/technologies, including data collection procedures for monitoring and evaluation.
• Promote Conservation Agriculture and ensure that 50% of farmers adopt the 3 principles of Conservation Agriculture and other Good Agronomic Practices.
• Organize farmers in groups. Form, train them in farming as a business and register them into viable Cooperatives for production and marketing purposes.
• Provide technical support and information to farmers in general agronomy, conservation agriculture, seed multiplication, nutrition, small livestock, farming as a business, agroforestry, cook stoves and related practices.
• Link farmers to input and output markets i.e. Agro-dealers and buyers for them to source improved seed, fertilizers, lime and insecticides on a full cost and sell their produce as a cooperative.
• Conduct cross village field tours for learning and lessons sharing.
• Attend camp meetings, Planning and review meetings and stakeholders’ meetings at camp and block level organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and African Parks and the project.
• Provide Monthly work plans and reports to the Camp Agriculture Officer and invite him to participate in the implementation of the programs
• Perform any other duties as directed by the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Integrity – Maintain high ethical standards, both personally and professionally; shows integrity, respect and fairness when dealing with the community and fellow employees.
• Teamwork – Co-operates and works well with others in pursuit of team’s goals; shares information; supports others. Contributes effectively towards a collective (organizational) goal or towards solving problems/conflicts even when the topic involved does not directly serve one’s own interests.
• Conflict resolution: Ability to work with conflict and emotionally distressing matters.
• Flexibility – Adaptable; receptive to new ideas; willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances. Willingness to work on week-ends and during holidays if needed.
• Planning and organising – Setting goals and budgeting in a transparent and effective manner; indicating necessary action, time and resources and monitoring progress.
• Initiative – Recognising opportunities and acting on them. Pro-active, self-starting rather than passively accepting; actively influencing events.
• Creativity – Conceiving original solutions to job-related problems.

Role requirements

• Minimum of a Certificate in Agriculture or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in sustainable agriculture with a focus on best agronomic practices, conservation agriculture, crop diversification, value-added processing, marketing and general agriculture.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the decentralized extension system, particularly the lead farmer extension approach and farmer field schools.
• Knowledgeable of Silozi language is essential
• A clean and valid motor cycle rider’s license
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional team building, communication, report writing, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, staff, project partners and farmers.
• Willing to work and live in the rural area.

• Sensitize and mobilize communities, Traditional and Government Camp Assemblies on all project activities.
• Conduct a camp assessment to identify partners, potential sites for implementation of project interventions, population per village and possible challenges. Identify and prioritize potential zones and villages that can benefit from the planned project intervention.
• Map the area and organize villages into clustered villages for effective implementation, monitoring and visibility of project interventions.
• Submit monthly progress reports and monthly field work plans to the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer for review and approval.
• Promote the Farmer Field School and the Lead Farmer Extension Approach and achieve the set targets.
• Facilitate the establishment of demonstrations managed by lead farmers and selected beneficiaries to showcase best agronomic practices such as Conservation Agriculture (CA) for farmers to adopt in the production of priority crops.
• Facilitate the formation of farmer groups/club with membership drawn from one village. Facilitate the selection of lead farmers to manage demonstration plots.
• Provide formal and informal training to farmers in good agronomic practices, conservation agriculture, seed multiplication, small livestock, Agroforestry, fuel efficient cookstoves and other related practices/technologies, including data collection procedures for monitoring and evaluation.
• Promote Conservation Agriculture and ensure that 50% of farmers adopt the 3 principles of Conservation Agriculture and other Good Agronomic Practices.
• Organize farmers in groups. Form, train them in farming as a business and register them into viable Cooperatives for production and marketing purposes.
• Provide technical support and information to farmers in general agronomy, conservation agriculture, seed multiplication, nutrition, small livestock, farming as a business, agroforestry, cook stoves and related practices.
• Link farmers to input and output markets i.e. Agro-dealers and buyers for them to source improved seed, fertilizers, lime and insecticides on a full cost and sell their produce as a cooperative.
• Conduct cross village field tours for learning and lessons sharing.
• Attend camp meetings, Planning and review meetings and stakeholders’ meetings at camp and block level organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and African Parks and the project.
• Provide Monthly work plans and reports to the Camp Agriculture Officer and invite him to participate in the implementation of the programs
• Perform any other duties as directed by the Senior Agriculture Extension Officer.

• Integrity – Maintain high ethical standards, both personally and professionally; shows integrity, respect and fairness when dealing with the community and fellow employees.
• Teamwork – Co-operates and works well with others in pursuit of team’s goals; shares information; supports others. Contributes effectively towards a collective (organizational) goal or towards solving problems/conflicts even when the topic involved does not directly serve one’s own interests.
• Conflict resolution: Ability to work with conflict and emotionally distressing matters.
• Flexibility – Adaptable; receptive to new ideas; willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances. Willingness to work on week-ends and during holidays if needed.
• Planning and organising – Setting goals and budgeting in a transparent and effective manner; indicating necessary action, time and resources and monitoring progress.
• Initiative – Recognising opportunities and acting on them. Pro-active, self-starting rather than passively accepting; actively influencing events.
• Creativity – Conceiving original solutions to job-related problems.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional team building, communication, report writing, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, staff, project partners and farmers.

• Minimum of a Certificate in Agriculture or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in sustainable agriculture with a focus on best agronomic practices, conservation agriculture, crop diversification, value-added processing, marketing and general agriculture.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the decentralized extension system, particularly the lead farmer extension approach and farmer field schools.
• Knowledgeable of Silozi language is essential
• A clean and valid motor cycle rider’s license
• Willing to work and live in the rural area.