Program Officer – Value Chains

Job details

Description

Key Management Duties & Responsibilities

Specifically, s/he will assist the SUN TA District Staff in:

Identifying and verifying that the members of the SMSGs and CSLGs are the main participants in the value chain activities

Ensuring that SMSGs and CSLGs (Follower Farmers) are accessing services from the Veterinary Assistant, Community Development Assistants and Camp Extension Office thereby improving productivity and compliance to industry policies and regulations.

Support SMSGs and CSLGs in building structured and well-functioning groups and/or cooperatives and strengthen their ties to processors and other partners

Strengthening village level market distribution systems that improve the Follower Farmers access to veterinary drugs, products and other related services as detailed below:

Village Chicken Value Chain: 75%

establish linkages to chick suppliers in each district through helping to identify incubation and brooding services among the SUN TA target groups

increase access to veterinary services by linking SUN TA village chicken Follower Farmers to the Veterinary Assistants in their locality

identify feed mills or sources for feed for local village chicken Follower Farmers

Increase participation of the follower farmers in the VCVC through adequate preparation of each follower farmers in training, chicken housing, feed, drugs and access to finance

Facilitate in identifying and profiling of the VCVC Follower farmers and review current records to isolate wrong ones

Facilitate in geo locating and profiling of all village chicken demonstration farmers and link them to the community facilitators and community based volunteers for correct targeting.

Improve village chicken performance through accurate and adequate data capture and reporting

Conduct VCVC review meetings at all District and sub district structure levels including DFs. CVs, LFs, CFs

Monitoring the use of climate smart agriculture practices in the production of vegetables and soya bean

Vegetable Gardening 15%

Identify districts which can produce vegetables in a sustainable manner

Correct misalignment in beneficiary targeting through profiling of all lead farmers and follower farmers

Facilitate expansion of backyard gardening to SMGS and CSLGs

Facilitate food preservation, processing and storage of follower farmers

Soya Bean Production: 10%

Track with Community Development Assistants and Camp Extension Officer, the number of hectares under improved management practices or technologies

Identify farmers from SMGS and CSLGs and link them to GNA

Required Skills and Experience

Zambian citizen or person with permanent Zambian residence / work permit

At least a diploma in agriculture sciences, animal science, agribusiness and management, enterprise development, business administration with a livestock background or similar qualifications

1-2 years of relevant working experience.

Initiative, drive and the ability to drive a process

Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to adapt communication styles to a range of audiences

Fluency in written and spoken English is required

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.