Farm Africa Technical Assistants- Agronomists Job
Technical Assistants- Agronomists Job, Agricultural Jobs In Kenya JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION JOB TITLE: Technical Assistants- Agronomists REPORTS TO: Project Officers (PO) REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None LOCATION: Embu County and Tharaka Nithi County DURATION & HOURS: Full time contract, renewable based on performance and availability of funds. REQUIRED: 2 Technical Assistants -Agronomists (One in Embu and one in Tharaka Nithi) Purpose of the role. To provide agronomic support and training for “Building regenerative, sustainable and profitable smallholder agricultural transformative systems in upper eastern Kenya” (AGRA project) by supporting the beneficiaries in providing technical trainings to the AGRA project agronomic function including Recruitment, training and follow-up of VBAs, Assist and monitor in demonstration establishment, crop management using RA practices, Good agricultural practice trainings, record keeping, pre and post-harvest handling, mobilization of farmer groups and/or organizations capacity development to participate in VBAs, resource mobilization and management; and working alongside Markets to ensure required volumes of produce are reached. Duties & Responsibilities Project implementation Assist in coordinating AGRA-RA activities within the counties and ensure that project activities are implemented within the project timeframe. Assist to mobilise and recruit VBAs and farmers in Embu/ Tharaka Nithi. Organise VBAs into clusters for ease of delivery of trainings and any other information Follow up on planting as per the protocol, deliver agronomic trainings to all the groups and formed clusters. The trainings delivered according to the set curriculum Work with farmers to identify demonstration areas for agronomic trainings; Demarcate and establish demonstration plots according to the demo guide; Monitor demo management and follow up on the crop management of the crops in the demo Enhance market relationship between the farmers and the new or existing market players Offer expertise advice to AGRA farmers in order for them to improve on crop husbandry and management practices within their vegetable farms in consultation with the Project Officer. Work alongside the Business development officer to ensure that the farmers are growing the crops as a business entity Establish volumes demanded and product specifications and communicate the same to farmers Validate and report on AGRA farmers’ farm records as may be directed by the Project Officer In collaboration with the PO – liaise with implementing partners for GAPs to establish projected volumes for proactive planning for market engagement Support farmers in developing logistics for aggregation and active marketing Engage farmers in developing production plans and work with project officers to ensure all target crops are produced and offer expertise advice to RA farmers. Monitoring and Reporting Support M&E team in conducting field surveys (e.g. sampling, data collection and reporting) and actively participate in preparations of farmer field days and linkages forums within the county. Regular data collection and reporting according to the project monitoring and learning plan Occasionally assist in data entry and analysis as may be required by the project staff Document success stories on market linkages, productivity and sales Participate in M&E meetings/sessions Write reports on deliverables using the formats provided Participate in community feedback sessions and take lessons for improving project delivery Other Roles Support the project in organising and facilitating market linkage forums and field days To participate and represent the project and Farm Africa in relevant forums as directed by PC Any other related duty as directed by line manager or Farm Africa management team Qualifications Essential Desirable Education, qualifications & other knowledge Degree/ diploma level in Horticulture / General Agriculture or any other related field Experience of working with commercial enterprises Knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kenya Experience in working with small holder farmers Minimum 3 years relevant work experience in the agricultural crop input sector Previous experience working in the horticultural sector in Kenya Experience Previous experience working in the horticultural sector in Kenya Knowledge & practical experience of economic horticultural models Skills & abilities Communication (both verbal & written) Multi stakeholder facilitation skills Organizational skills Intercultural sensitive Mastery Adult learning methodologies and training skills Our Values Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa. ∙ EXPERT: Expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does. ∙ GROUNDED: Our teams and partners work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making. ∙ IMPACTFUL: We deliver long lasting change for farmers, their families, and the environments they live in. ∙ BOLD: We model innovative approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing. How to ApplyHow to Apply If you meet the above requirements for this position, submit your cover letter indicating the title of the position and the expected salary (maximum 1 page) along with an updated CV (maximum 4 pages) with email and telephone contacts of three professional referees addressing to [email protected] with the subject line Technical Assistant Agronomist before or by 14th July 2022 Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Farm Africa is an equal opportunity employer and promotes gender equity. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification. Farm Africa does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. (e.g. Application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees). N.B: Looking For A New Job? Find Your Next Job With Us. Click Here To Register Your CV. It's Free. Read the full article
