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Agriculture and Forestry Specialist-Linking Income Food & Environment

Peace
Corps

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COUNTRY
Zambia
REGION
Africa
SECTOR
Environment
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
None

ACCEPTS COUPLES
Yes
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
38

APPLY BY
July 1, 2018
KNOW BY
Sept. 1, 2018
DEPART BY
March 4, 2019

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Before You Apply

You can only have one active Peace Corps Volunteer application, so choose a
position that best fits your skills and interest. You have the opportunity to tell us if
you’d like to be considered for other openings and more about the ones that interest
you most! See application process

Project Description
Volunteers who have served in Zambia consider it to be the "quintessential Peace Corps"
experience due to the rural traditional communities where Volunteers are placed, the warmth
and friendliness of the Zambian people and the supportive Volunteer environment.

In the Linking Income, Food and Environment (LIFE) project, Volunteers promote the
incorporation of agroforestry technologies in the farming system, help to enhance soil and
water management practices, and teach improved gardening techniques. Volunteers also
provide training in basic business skills, such as planning, record keeping, and marketing for
farmers who are interested in scaling up their activities.

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 the Environment and Food
Security.

Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in agriculture and must have a
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field.

Desired Skills
Degree in Environmental Education, Environmental Studies, Natural Resources, Forestry,
Agronomy, or Horticulture
Experience in organizing/leading environmental education activities
Experience promoting environmental awareness in schools and communities
1 to 3 years farm, forestry, or nursery management experience
5 years professional work experience

Required Language Skills

There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Please take a moment to
explore the Language Comments section below to find out more on how local language(s) will
be utilized during service.

Additional Language Information

While English is the official language of Zambia, most Volunteers will need to speak the local
language in order to effectively communicate in their communities. Some community
members may have intermediate or advanced levels of English, most will not. Therefore,
Volunteers will be most effective when conversing and working in the local language and all
Trainees must come prepared to learn a local Zambian language. Trainees are provided with a
comprehensive language immersion program throughout their service. Initially, they will
receive three months of language instruction from native speakers in the predominant
language spoken at the site they will be placed in and will be required to attain communication
skills in listening and speaking. They will also receive a survival language kit for the dialect
found in their site and encouraged to engage the services of a tutor once they get to their site.

Living Conditions

Becoming an Agriculture and Forestry Specialist in Zambia requires commitment to working in

remote areas with mentally and physically challenging environments. Volunteers must be
prepared to bike long distances (up to 12 miles in one direction) and to work and live in rural
Zambian settings. Houses are made of mud with thatched roofs and no electricity. Water will
be from a nearby well or stream, which is then filtered through a Peace Corps-issued water
filter. Cell phone call coverage may not exist at your site, but all Volunteers are able to send or
receive a text message.

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 their health and safety
which are Peace Corps' top priorities.

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 inZambia: Get detailed information on culture,
communications, housing, and safety — including crime statistics [PDF] — in order to make a
well-informed decision about serving.

Medical Considerations in Zambia

Zambia may not be able to support Volunteers with the following medical conditions:
asthma, including mild or childhood; gastroenterology; insulin-dependent diabetes;
mammography; requiring a psychiatrist for psychotropic medications support; some types
of gynecologic support; seizure disorder, peanut allergies; ongoing counseling.

The following medication(s) are not permitted for legal or cultural reasons: Adderall, Ritalin
and Vyvanse.
 Volunteers who should avoid the following food(s) may not be able to serve: gluten; peanut.

After arrival in Zambia, Peace Corps provides and applicants are required to have an annual
flu shot, to take daily or weekly medication to prevent malaria, and to receive mandatory
immunizations.

Before you apply, please also review Medical Information for Applicants to learn about the
clearance process and other health conditions that are difficult to accommodate in Peace
Corps service.

Does this sound like the position for you?

Get started on your journey.

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Learn what it's like to serve in Zambia

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What Happens Next?

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What is Peace Corps looking for in an applicant?

The types of work Volunteers do are ultimately determined by the needs of host countries and the potential of a Volunteer to contribute
to these needs and to the Peace Corps’ mission.

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process

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