Aquaculture & Feed Production Officer

About the role

Under the supervision of the Livelihood Project Manager, the Aquaculture and Feed Production Officer is the technical lead for the fish farms in MMC, Jere and Mafa and for the Mafa Fish Feed Production Centre. The goal is that all four run as productive, profitable community enterprises, with affordable local feed, good fish husbandry and value addition.

Key responsibilities

• Assess each fish farm technically (pond condition, water source and quality, stocking history, mortality, growth rates, feeding practices) and lead the profitability diagnostic with the Business Development Officer
• Analyze stocking density, feed conversion ratio, survival, harvest weights and selling prices, and prepare production plans for each farm
• Advise engineers on pond rehabilitation and restocking, oversee pond preparation and supervise fingerling sourcing, transport, acclimatization and stocking
• Train pond teams in feeding schedules, water quality monitoring, grading, predator control and hygiene, and set up disease prevention and biosecurity
• Monitor growth through regular sampling, adjust feeding to improve FCR, and keep pond-by-pond records
• Work with the Agricultural Engineer on the replacement feed line, develop feed formulas for each growth stage, set up quality control and train 5-8 operators in machine operation, formulation, hygiene and safety
• Plan ingredient procurement, supply feed to the three project farms and other buyers, and run the centre as a training hub for youth
• Train members in fish processing (smoking and drying), help set up fee-based smoking services, and link farms to buyers in Maiduguri markets
• Develop simple SOPs in English and Hausa, maintain equipment records, link farms to fisheries and extension services after handover, and submit monthly technical reports

Required profile

• B.Sc. or HND in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Animal Science (fisheries or nutrition option) or a related field; M.Sc. in Agriculture desirable
• At least 4 years of practical experience in fish farming, preferably catfish in earthen or lined ponds, including production planning, fish health and record keeping
• Hands-on experience in fish feed formulation and production, training farmers and working with NGOs, UN agencies or government agricultural programmes in North-East Nigeria or a similar setting
• Fluent English and good spoken Hausa; Kanuri desirable

Required skills

• Strong technical knowledge of fish nutrition, water quality, biosecurity and fish health
• Able to analyze production data (FCR, survival, cost per kg) and turn it into practical advice
• Excellent practical training and coaching skills suited to adults with low literacy
• Proficiency in MS Office or Google Workspace, especially spreadsheets