Agriculture Extension Agent-Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP)
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact Peace Corps domestically and internationally.
The information provided for each assignment is subject to change, including the tentative departure date.
Project Description
The Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP) project is focused primarily on the principles and practices of rural-based, small-scale, integrated agriculture technologies. Volunteers collaborate with Zambia's Department of Fisheries with the goal of improving nutrition and rural livelihoods through fish farming. They live in rural farming communities and provide intensive extension services aimed at increasing farmer capacities to successfully build and manage fishponds to increase production and incomes. Volunteers teach and assist farmers in technical aspects such as site selection, pond construction, stocking, management, and harvesting. They also seek to enhance the integration of fish farming with other agricultural activities such as gardening, animal husbandry, fruit trees, and agro-forestry.
For farmers who are interested in scaling up their activities, Volunteers also provide training in basic business skills such as planning, record keeping, and marketing. In addition, Volunteers teach members of households the importance of improving nutrition by using more food groups and meals that include fish.
Given that 40% of natural water resources in the Southern African Sub-region are found in Zambia, fisheries and aquaculture have gained increased attention as a sub-sector that has potential to uplift food security, nutrition, and income levels of people. Volunteers working on this project have an opportunity to transfer new or improved integrated aquaculture-agriculture related knowledge, skills, and attitudes directly to smallholder farmers, including women, men, and youth.
The most successful Volunteers in Zambia are extremely flexible and adaptable, and have a passion for inspiring others. Peace Corps Zambia offers exceptional technical training during pre-service training for those with the motivation to learn about Aquaculture and Food Security.
Please note that the Government of Zambia requires all Volunteers to hold a college degree upon arrival in-country. If you have not completed your degree at the time of departure, you will not be able to serve in Zambia.
Peace Corps Zambia promotes gender awareness and girls’ education and empowerment. You will receive training on gender challenges in your country and you will have the opportunity to implement gender-related activities that are contextually appropriate. During your service, you will look for ways to work with community members to promote gender-equitable norms and increase girls’ sense of agency. As part of your work, you will also report on these efforts and their impact.
COVID-19 Volunteer Activities
In the past year, the world has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a Volunteer, you will be trained in how to best protect yourself from COVID-19 exposure and understand the impact of and steps to reduce stigma related to COVID-19. You may also have the opportunity to engage with your community on implementing or enhancing COVID-19 mitigation activities, such as COVID-19 prevention and risk reduction strategies including social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, addressing myths and misconceptions related to these practices, and vaccine hesitancy. Activities will be tailored to address the COVID-19 circumstances in the communities where you will serve.
Required Skills
Desired Skills
-Experience organizing/leading environmental education activities
-Experience promoting environmental awareness in schools and communities
-1 to 3 years fisheries, farm, forestry, or nursery management experience
-5 Years of professional work experience
Required Language Skills
Living Conditions
Volunteers typically live on a large housing compound with two or three other families, but have their own housing structure, cooking area, private washing area, and latrine. Volunteers may choose to share meals with their host neighbors or cook on their own.
Peace Corps Zambia supports its Volunteers in this uniquely rural environment through a strong regional office model. In each province where Volunteers serve, PC/Zambia operates a Provincial Office, which is staffed year round and serves as a resource center for work collaboration and training. Further, having Peace Corps Staff and resources nearby allows for more comprehensive and timely support of Volunteers, especially in terms of their health and safety, which are Peace Corps' top priorities.
While people in Zambia may be generally tolerant, values and mores concerning sexual orientation and gender identity may be different from those in some parts of the U.S. Zambia has some restrictive laws that target certain sexual acts. Volunteers will need to be mindful of cultural norms and country-specific laws, and use their best judgment to determine how to approach topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity in their communities and host countries. Staff and currently serving Volunteers will address this topic during pre-service training, and identify support mechanisms for incoming trainees. Many LGBTQ Volunteers have served successfully in Zambia.
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in Zambia: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and safety — including crime statistics [PDF] — in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Couples Information
Couples will be placed in the same homestay during pre-service training (PST).
Medical Considerations
Before you apply, please review Medical Information for Applicants to learn about the clearance process and other health conditions that are difficult to accommodate in Peace Corps service.
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