Job Title: Agricultural Officer
Organization: Farm Africa
Funding Source: UK AID
Duty Station: Soroti, Uganda
Reports to: Project
Coordinator
Coordinator
About Us:
Farm Africa is an international NGO that seeks to increase the incomes
and improve food security of smallholder farmers, pastoralists,
agro-pastoralists, and forest dwellers in East Africa. We have recently launched
a new UK AID funded FoodTrade programme linking smallholder farmers producing
maize, beans and rice to export markets.
and improve food security of smallholder farmers, pastoralists,
agro-pastoralists, and forest dwellers in East Africa. We have recently launched
a new UK AID funded FoodTrade programme linking smallholder farmers producing
maize, beans and rice to export markets.
Job Summary: The
Agricultural Officer will support the 25,000 smallholder farmers engaged in
Farm Africa’s FoodTrade project to improve post-harvest handling and storage of
staple food crops.
Agricultural Officer will support the 25,000 smallholder farmers engaged in
Farm Africa’s FoodTrade project to improve post-harvest handling and storage of
staple food crops.
Key Duties and
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
Improve post-harvest handling standards amongst 25,000 target farmers
by:
by:
·
Organising,
plan and deliver Training of Trainers (TOT) on post-harvest handling and
storage of maize, rice and beans for 335 farmers
Organising,
plan and deliver Training of Trainers (TOT) on post-harvest handling and
storage of maize, rice and beans for 335 farmers
·
Support
these 355 farmers to reach other members of their communities/cooperatives and
ensure quality storage of maize, rice and beans across the target population of
25,000 farmers within the project area.
Support
these 355 farmers to reach other members of their communities/cooperatives and
ensure quality storage of maize, rice and beans across the target population of
25,000 farmers within the project area.
·
The
incumbent will support the 335 farmers to use gender-disaggregated approaches
when training community/cooperative members
The
incumbent will support the 335 farmers to use gender-disaggregated approaches
when training community/cooperative members
·
Work
closely with East Africa Grain Council (EAGC) to deliver training that
will help farmers to meet EAGC standards
Work
closely with East Africa Grain Council (EAGC) to deliver training that
will help farmers to meet EAGC standards
Increase village level aggregation of maize, rice and beans in the
target districts by:
target districts by:
·
Supporting
partner organisations to deliver awareness raising activities that inform
community members about village aggregation centres and the benefits of
aggregating and sell their staple food surpluses through them
Supporting
partner organisations to deliver awareness raising activities that inform
community members about village aggregation centres and the benefits of
aggregating and sell their staple food surpluses through them
·
Supporting
partner organisations to engage their farmers in aggregation at a FoodTrade
satellite collection points
Supporting
partner organisations to engage their farmers in aggregation at a FoodTrade
satellite collection points
·
Deliver TOT to 335 individuals from village
aggregation centres and warehouses on aggregation and importance of having
economic volume, and supporting them to share their
Deliver TOT to 335 individuals from village
aggregation centres and warehouses on aggregation and importance of having
economic volume, and supporting them to share their
·
learnings with their wider
communities/cooperative members
learnings with their wider
communities/cooperative members
·
Support establishment and upgrade of grain
storage facilities in line with EAC standards by:
Support establishment and upgrade of grain
storage facilities in line with EAC standards by:
·
Assessing
the 35 existing aggregation centres and 7 warehouses to identify upgrades
required for them to meet EAC quality standards
Assessing
the 35 existing aggregation centres and 7 warehouses to identify upgrades
required for them to meet EAC quality standards
·
Mentoring
and training staff at village aggregation centres and warehouses in
optimal storage conditions for rice, maize and beans so that they can become
EAGC certified satellite collection points and warehouses.
Mentoring
and training staff at village aggregation centres and warehouses in
optimal storage conditions for rice, maize and beans so that they can become
EAGC certified satellite collection points and warehouses.
·
Procuring
and delivering basic equipment to village aggregation centres/satellite
collection points and provide training in its correct usage
Procuring
and delivering basic equipment to village aggregation centres/satellite
collection points and provide training in its correct usage
·
Oversee
upgrading of warehouses and satellite collection point structures in line with
EAC standards
Oversee
upgrading of warehouses and satellite collection point structures in line with
EAC standards
·
Support
satellite collection points and warehouses with gaining EAGC accreditation
Support
satellite collection points and warehouses with gaining EAGC accreditation
Contribute to documenting and sharing lessons learnt from the project
by:
by:
·
Contributing
to identifying indicators and delivering monitoring and evaluation activities
in line with Farm Africa’s monitoring and evaluation systems and
processes
Contributing
to identifying indicators and delivering monitoring and evaluation activities
in line with Farm Africa’s monitoring and evaluation systems and
processes
·
Carrying
out and participating in stakeholders’ forums/ workshops to discuss matters
affecting the grain trade sector as required by the programme
coordinator
Carrying
out and participating in stakeholders’ forums/ workshops to discuss matters
affecting the grain trade sector as required by the programme
coordinator
·
In
charge of collecting, documenting and sharing project success stories,
case studies, best practice and lessons learned in line with the requirements
of Farm Africa’s communication’s team
In
charge of collecting, documenting and sharing project success stories,
case studies, best practice and lessons learned in line with the requirements
of Farm Africa’s communication’s team
Play a key role in delivering the wider objectives of Farm Africa’s
FoodTrade project in Uganda including:
FoodTrade project in Uganda including:
·
Supporting
the project coordinator with budgeting and planning
Supporting
the project coordinator with budgeting and planning
·
Offer
support in facilitating monitoring and communications visits from the wider
Farm Africa team
Offer
support in facilitating monitoring and communications visits from the wider
Farm Africa team
·
Carrying
out any other duties as reasonably requested by the project coordinator
Carrying
out any other duties as reasonably requested by the project coordinator
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience:
Experience:
·
The applicant for the Farm Radio Project
Agricultural Officer should preferably hold a Degree in Agriculture,
Agricultural extension, Agricultural economics, or related field.
The applicant for the Farm Radio Project
Agricultural Officer should preferably hold a Degree in Agriculture,
Agricultural extension, Agricultural economics, or related field.
·
At least three years’ experience in implementing
agricultural projects preferably for an NGO.
At least three years’ experience in implementing
agricultural projects preferably for an NGO.
·
Strong technical knowledge of optimal
postharvest handling and strorage techniques for maize, paddy rice and beans.
Strong technical knowledge of optimal
postharvest handling and strorage techniques for maize, paddy rice and beans.
·
Broad knowledge of market information systems
Broad knowledge of market information systems
·
Previous exposure and experience of engaging and
mobilising rural communities in development programmes
Previous exposure and experience of engaging and
mobilising rural communities in development programmes
·
Up-to-date knowledge of staple food markets in
Uganda and East Africa
Up-to-date knowledge of staple food markets in
Uganda and East Africa
·
Prior exposure and experience in designing and
developing trainings for rural communities
Prior exposure and experience in designing and
developing trainings for rural communities
·
Experience of evidencing success for impact
assessment and communications purposes
Experience of evidencing success for impact
assessment and communications purposes
·
Experience of using gender disaggregated
approaches for farmer outreach
Experience of using gender disaggregated
approaches for farmer outreach
·
Experience of assisting with monitoring and
evaluation activities and fieldwork
Experience of assisting with monitoring and
evaluation activities and fieldwork
·
Prior exposure and experience of working with
multiple partner organisations in a coordinated manner
Prior exposure and experience of working with
multiple partner organisations in a coordinated manner
·
Previous experience of working in a remote
setting
Previous experience of working in a remote
setting
·
Experience of producing content for donor
reports
Experience of producing content for donor
reports
·
Experience of managing budgets
Experience of managing budgets
·
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Holder of a valid motorcycle permit (must be willing to obtain one if not
already a permit holder)
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Holder of a valid motorcycle permit (must be willing to obtain one if not
already a permit holder)
·
Computer literacy i.e. working knowledge of
Microsoft Office programmes, in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Computer literacy i.e. working knowledge of
Microsoft Office programmes, in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint
·
Flexible and ‘can do’ attitude
Flexible and ‘can do’ attitude
·
Able to work under own initiative
Able to work under own initiative
·
Good team player
Good team player
Farm Africa’s Values:
·
Being
experts in our field, delivering insightful/impactful evidence-based
solutions
Being
experts in our field, delivering insightful/impactful evidence-based
solutions
·
Pushing
boundaries, being creative with new and old solutions
Pushing
boundaries, being creative with new and old solutions
·
Acting
for the long-term, building relationships and delivering long-lasting change
for farmers
Acting
for the long-term, building relationships and delivering long-lasting change
for farmers
·
Working
flexibly, taking advantage of the most effective solutions, whether from
the communities, private sector or government
Working
flexibly, taking advantage of the most effective solutions, whether from
the communities, private sector or government
·
Sharing
knowledge with others, reaching more farmers than we do alone, ensuring
effective technologies are widely accessed.
Sharing
knowledge with others, reaching more farmers than we do alone, ensuring
effective technologies are widely accessed.
How to Apply:
All applicants must submit an updated CV, salary history and one-page
application letter specifying the post title in the subject line to:
[email protected]
application letter specifying the post title in the subject line to:
[email protected]
Deadline: 5th
September 2016 by 12:00PM
September 2016 by 12:00PM
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