Aquaculture Business Extension Officer

Job description

ABOUT IMPULS AFRICA

Impuls Africa is a Zambian-registered company that specializes in delivering agricultural consultancy and extension services in the SADC region. Owned by a cooperative of over 100 farmers and a seasoned agri-entrepreneur in Zambia, the Impuls team brings more than 75 years of combined expertise in agriculture and livestock services. Impuls has a strong track record of successfully developing and implementing large-scale projects in agriculture, livestock, agroforestry, apiculture, and horticulture value chains. These projects have been funded by leading development partners such as UKAID, USAID, UNDP, the EU, SIDA, Irish Aid, and the Czech Development Agency. We specialize in providing services to both donors and the private sector, offering everything from one-off consulting assignments to long-term project implementation and management. Our primary focus is on agricultural consulting, in which we excel at delivering a diverse range of short- and long-term assignments.

Position Title: Aquaculture Business Extension Officer

Reports to: Managing Director

Job Summary

The Aquaculture Business Extension Officer will lead district-level efforts to strengthen the capacities of smallholder fish farmers, enabling their successful participation in aquaculture value chains. The officer will play a key role in farmer training, business support, compliance facilitation, and value chain integration, ensuring sustainable enterprise development and increased incomes for aqua-preneurs.

Key Responsibilities

Farmer Orientation & Training

Conduct regular field visits to train farmers in fish husbandry, pond management, feeding regimes, water quality control, and disease management.
Build capacity in good aquaculture practices (GAqP) to improve yields and reduce mortality rates.

Business Skills Development

Deliver structured business training modules focusing on record-keeping, financial literacy, enterprise budgeting, and loan management.
Promote a mindset shift from subsistence to agribusiness through business coaching and mentorship.
Ensure farmers understand and adopt relevant regulatory, quality, and productivity standards.

Value Chain Development

Support integration of farmers into diverse fish product value chains including: Fresh and frozen fish, Smoked and dried products, Fish stock feed production, Canning and packaging.
Facilitate connections with aggregators, processors, and offtakers to ensure market access and price competitiveness.
Strengthen backward linkages by promoting local sourcing of inputs and services.

Communication & Problem Solving

Maintain regular communication with stakeholders including farmer groups, local authorities, and private sector actors.
Identify and document challenges faced by farmers; recommend and support implementation of remedial actions.
Provide field-level insights to inform programmatic decision-making.

Qualifications and Experience

Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Aquaculture, Fisheries Science, Agribusiness, or related field.
At least 3 years of experience working with smallholder aquaculture or similar rural enterprise development initiatives.
Knowledge of aquaculture value chains, fish processing, and marketing practices in Zambia.
Experience in business advisory services, enterprise development, and financial literacy training.
Familiarity with enterprise support or community-based extension approaches is an added advantage.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with rural communities.
Fluency in English and at least one local language used in the district.

Application Process:

All interested and qualified candidates should apply by completing the online application form at the link below. Please ensure you submit your CV and  include at least three traceable references and select the appropriate job title in the application form here.

Note: CVs will be reviewed on an ongoing basis depending on project and organizational needs.