Pig Extension Officer

Farmers Choice Limited is a leading Kenyan company specializing in the processing and distribution of pork and other meat products.

The Pig Extension Officer is responsible for securing a consistent and high-quality supply of pigs by fostering strong relationships with farmers and implementing performance improvement programs across supplier farms. This involves tracking key performance indicators, segmenting farmers for targeted interventions, conducting regular farm audits, and providing detailed reports and projections. The officer will also design and deliver capacity-building programs on various aspects of pig farming, manage contract farmers, resolve grievances, and ensure compliance with company standards for animal welfare, biosecurity, and waste management.

1. Track farmer key performance indicators such as born alive rates, mortality, average daily gains, age to slaughter, and slaughter weights.
2. Categorize farmers based on performance (top, medium, poor) and implement specific improvement strategies.
3. Conduct regular farm audits, performance reviews, and generate reports.
4. Develop and maintain a farmer performance dashboard.
5. Provide pig supply projections for at least six months and identify potential supply gaps.
6. Pinpoint productivity bottlenecks within farms.
7. Submit weekly and monthly reports on supply versus plan and monitor cost trends.
8. Design and implement capacity-building programs for farmers on nutrition, feed optimization, biosecurity, breeding, genetics, housing, and animal welfare.
9. Offer technical advisory services to farmers.
10. Organize and conduct training programs for farmhands.
11. Manage relationships with contract farmers and build long-term partnerships.
12. Address farmer grievances and ensure high levels of engagement.
13. Ensure farmers adhere to Farmers Choice standards regarding treatments, disease control, feeding, housing, waste management, and animal welfare.

1. Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Agriculture, Veterinary Science, or a related field.
2. Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in pig production, farmer extension, or livestock value chain development.
3. Strong understanding of pig production systems, nutrition, biosecurity, and animal welfare.
4. Excellent data analysis, reporting, and project management skills.
5. Proven experience in farmer engagement, training, and capacity building.
6. Good communication and interpersonal skills.
7. Proficiency in MS Office and data management tools.
8. Ability to travel to regional locations for regular farm visits.
9. Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven and results-oriented approach.
10. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for building strong farmer relationships.
11. Effective planning, organization, and multi-tasking skills.
12. Passion for sustainable livestock production and farmer development.
13. High attention to detail.