Latest Openings at Land O Lakes

Development Jobs, Nutrition Jobs, Agronomy Jobs,

Forage Service Development Officer

Position Summary:

• The Forage Service Development Officer is responsible for implementation of NPA activities related to capacity building of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and the private sector across the forage value chain and increasing business skills of smallholder dairy and forage producers. The project will be implemented in key dairy counties in the Rift Valley and Central regions, which show the highest potential for forage market growth with additional sites and adaptive research plots in Western and Eastern regions.
• The Forage Service Development Officer will collaborate with the private sector to build the capacity of different actors along the value chain, including smallholder dairy and forage producers and MSMEs servicing them, in strengthening their business skills. In addition, s/he will lead activities that enhance demand for quality forage among livestock producers, including developing pricing models and cost of production modeling. S/he will also facilitate the establishment of forage market linkages that lead to commercially viable and sustainable forage markets in the project’s target areas. S/he will also have a keen understanding of the policy/regulatory landscape impacting forage businesses, such as forage variety registration, and contribute to implementation of improved regulations. The Forage Service Development Specialist will also contribute to positive working relationships with different stakeholders, including farmer organizations, women’s groups, cooperatives, government bodies, and other development projects in the livestock sector so that it strengthens the enabling environment for forage market development.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Design and implement demand building activities (e.g., develop training materials, lead training of trainer activities with businesses, design communication campaigns) for nutrient-dense cultivated forage by addressing the primary barriers to adoption, and emphasizing approaches to increase producer income from dairy by utilizing improved forage varieties.
• Develop and support implementation of business development models for forage production and input/service providers, identify opportunities for smallholder forage and dairy producers to enter local and regional forage markets and develop linkages with digital financial service providers to support business growth.
• Identify datasets relevant to the forage value chain, including agronomic, business intelligence, and early warning system information, to improve access and use of data in business decision-making.
• Provide training on business development skills to smallholder forage producers, aggregators, and MSMEs along the forage value chain.
• Facilitate forage market linkages among producers, collectors, retailers, and consumers.
• Collaborate closely with private sector partners for smooth implementation of activities
• Ensure integration of women- and youth-inclusive approaches in business development activities, working with the GESI Specialist to ensure inclusive program implementation.
• Map the enabling environment for forage in the country to identify in greater detail the key policy gaps and opportunities for forage market development.
• Support in ensuring improved regulations and implementation by regional and federal governments conducive to a thriving climate-smart forage market system.
• Travel to implementation areas as needed to support the above activities.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Program Director for the achievement of project objectives.

Reporting & Supervision:

• The Forage Service Development Officer will report to the National Coordinator, Kenya.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Animal Production, Animal Nutrition, Forage Agronomy or other relevant field.
• At least four (4) years of relevant experience in the sector.
• Demonstrated expertise in business management in the livestock (dairy/cattle) industry, preferably with the private sector.
• Experience working with smallholder livestock producers in different agro-ecologies, with demonstrated interest and knowledge of forage.
• Experience in organizing and facilitating workshops, meetings, and roundtables with the business community.
• Demonstrated understanding of the policy/regulatory landscape impacting forage businesses, such as forage variety registration.
• Experience in working with different partners and farmers, particularly women and youth, demonstrating effective communication and professionalism with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Ability to collect and analyze data and information and draw valid conclusions.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Dairy Nutrition Officer

Project Summary:

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is the lead project implementer for the Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (NPA) project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The purpose of the NPA project is to establish commercially viable and sustainable forage markets that equitably strengthen the regional competitiveness of the dairy industries in Kenya and Ethiopia. Forage markets will be developed through the implementation of integrated activities that drive demand for and use of optimized forage varieties among small-scale dairy producers, as well as improve the supply of climate-smart forage rations that are marketed to small-scale producers. Activities also aim to strengthen the enabling environment for forage market development over the life of the project, from July 2023 to June 2028.

Position Summary:

• The Dairy Nutrition Officer is responsible for implementation of NPA activities in the project’s dairy cattle feeding and animal nutrition components across the different project target regions in Kenya. The project will be implemented in key dairy counties in the Rift Valley and Central regions, which show the highest potential for forage market growth with additional sites and adaptive research plots in Western and Eastern regions.
• The Dairy Nutrition Officer will oversee the quality parameters of different cultivated forage crops at NPA demonstration sites along with other locally available major feed resources to establish least-cost rations for dairy producers. Work with farmers and staff at NPA sites to design and lead feeding trials using least-cost ration formulations and collect and analyze data from the trials to share with other local producers. Using results from forage testing, use digital and mobile applications to build rations and generate recommendations. The Dairy Nutrition Officer will also work with extension workers and the private sector to train small-scale and early-stage commercial dairy producers to use digital tools and implement improved feeding practices. S/he also closely collaborate with diverse national partners and shall support the development of positive working relationships with partner companies, farmer organizations, women’s groups and cooperatives, government bodies, and other development projects in the livestock sector.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Prepare training materials on technical topics related to improved animal feeding and animal nutrition practices, primarily targeting extension service providers and private sector businesses (through a training-of-trainers model) and small-scale livestock producers.
• Increase small-scale dairy producers’ knowledge of climate-smart forages-based animal feeding and nutrition (including efficient utilization of available feed resources and ration formulation) through training, in-person advice, field days, and digital extension services.
• Provide Dairy nutrition training to extension service providers and forage producers on efficient utilization of available feed resources, best cost ration formulation for different groups of dairy cattle.
• Contribute to the management of adaptive research sites that establish a variety of nutrient-dense forage cultivars in collaboration with universities and research institutes, providing technical advice on components related to quality and nutrition.
• Support demonstration sites on working farms of early adopters of improved feeding practices of dairy animals by providing technical recommendations related to forage quality and animal nutrition.
• Work in close collaboration with NPA partners from the private and public sector who will participate in NPA activities, including extension service providers and agribusinesses, to take ownership of the various technical training components by building capacity on technical topics (e.g., forage quality testing, ration formulation, animal feeding practices) through a training-of-trainers model.
• Collect and analyze data from NPA research and demonstration sites related to animal nutrition, health, and husbandry.
• Disseminate information on the benefits of improved feeding, ration formulation and feed quality testing, emphasizing the advantages of establishing climate-smart approaches to enhance resiliency, along with key insights from the data on forage quality and costing analyses collected at NPA research and demonstration sites.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning assistant to collect and input data into monitoring systems and participate in learning and adaptive management meetings.
• Perform other duties assigned by the NPA-Kenya National Coordinator for the achievement of project objectives.

Reporting & Supervision:

• The Dairy Nutrition Officer reports to National Coordinator, NPA, Kenya

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in animal nutrition, ruminant nutrition, dairy nutrition, animal production, or other relevant fields.
• At least four (4) years of relevant experience in the sector.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and practical experience in ruminant animal nutrition practice, including knowledge of feeding values / nutritional value of major feed resources, ration formulation, feed budgeting, and efficient feeding strategies suitable for crop-livestock mixed production system in the different agro-ecologies.
• Experience in on-farm demonstration of effective feeding strategies, working with smallholder livestock producers in the different agro-ecologies and high potential dairy producing areas.
• Experience in training extension agents, companies, and farmers by organizing and facilitating trainings and field days.
• Experience in working with different partners and farmers, demonstrating effective communication and professionalism with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Ability to collect and analyze data and information related to forage quality and animal nutrition and health and draw valid conclusions.
• Private sector experience preferred.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel.
• This position is open to Kenyan nationals only and is compensated according to Venture37’s local compensation plan in Kenya. This position is not eligible for international compensation, allowances, or international benefits.

Forage Agronomy Officer

Position Summary:

• The Forage Agronomy Officer is responsible for ensuring implementation of NPA activities related to forage production and conservation, including in climate-smart production practices, soil and forage testing and data analysis, and market development across the different project target regions in Kenya. The project will be implemented in key dairy counties in the Rift Valley and Central regions, which show the highest potential for forage market growth with additional sites and adaptive research plots in Western and Eastern regions.
• The Forage Agronomy Officer will monitor and provide forage agronomy recommendations for establishment, management, harvesting and processing by small-scale dairy producers and early-stage commercial forage producers in the different agro-ecologies and production systems. The Forage Agronomy Officer will also support the capacity development of farmers, through training, field days, and digital services to implement forage production on their farms in close collaboration with local businesses. The Forage Agronomy Officer supports capacity building of extension workers and the private sector on technical forage agronomy topics to improve recommendations to dairy producers on forage production. This position will also closely collaborate with diverse national partners and should support the development of positive working relationships with companies, farmer organizations, women’s groups and cooperatives, government bodies, and other development projects in the livestock sector.

Primary Responsibilities

• Prepare training materials on technical forage agronomy topics targeting extension service providers and private sector businesses (through a training-of-trainers model) and small-scale producers.
• Increase small-scale dairy producers’ knowledge of climate-smart forage production by providing training with in-person guidance, field days, and digital training on key topics for forage establishment, management, and conservation.
• Provide training on forage agronomy, different preservation methods and storage practice for efficient and safe use of forages to extension service providers and forage producers,
• Conduct adaptive research sites that establish a variety of nutrient-dense forage varieties in collaboration with universities and research institutes including ILRI and collect and analyze data across the crop life cycle.
• Contribute to the selection and lead establishment of demonstration sites on working farms of early adopters of forage, which are designed to demonstrate forage at the different stages of production, working with farmers and their staff to develop and implement agronomic recommendations for effective forage crop management.
• Conduct soil and forage testing to enable data-driven decision-making in forage management and support the development of differentiated pricing models.
• Work in close collaboration with NPA partners from the private and public sector who will participate in NPA activities, including extension service providers and agribusinesses across the forage value chain, to take ownership of the various technical training components by building capacity on technical topics (e.g., forage establishment practices, field management, timing of harvest, effective use of storage and conservation tools) through a training-of-trainers model.
• Disseminate information on the benefits of climate-smart forage production to build demand for nutrient-dense forages by addressing the primary barriers to adoption along with sharing key insights from data on soil health, forage quality and costing analyses collected at NPA research and demonstration sites and datasets from partner organizations on agronomic and early warning system information.
• Support in improving equitable access for dairy and forage producers to products and services needed for forage production and sale.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning assistant to collect and input data into internal monitoring systems and participate in learning and adaptive management meetings.
• Perform other duties assigned by the NPA – Kenya National Coordinator for the achievement of project objectives.

Reporting & Supervision:

• The Forage Agronomy Specialist reports to the National Coordinator, NPA, Kenya

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in agronomy, crop production, animal production, agricultural extension, or other relevant field.
• At least four (4) years of relevant experience in the sector.
• Demonstrated technical knowledge and practical experience in forage crop production, including knowledge of best agronomic practices for establishment, management, harvesting and conservation of the major forage crops suitable in the different agro-ecologies.
• Experience in on-farm demonstration of forage crops, working with smallholder livestock producers in different agro-ecologies and high potential dairy producing areas.
• Experience in training extension agents and farmers by organizing and facilitating through trainings and field days.
• Experience in working with different partners and farmers, demonstrating effective communication and professionalism with people of different backgrounds and viewpoints.
• Ability to collect and analyze data and information and draw valid conclusions.
• Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel.
• This position is open to Kenyan nationals only and is compensated according to Venture37’s local compensation plan in Kenya. This position is not eligible for international compensation, allowances, or international benefits.

Apply Now