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Agricultural Jobs at International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) – Senior Agronomist
Senior Agronomist – CATALIST-Uganda Project
Job Description
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise. IFDC is recruiting staff for the 4-year CATALIST-Uganda Project, funded by DGIS through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kampala.
The Senior Agronomist, based in Kampala, will oversee the implementation of agronomic activities in the CATALIST-Uganda project. The senior agronomist will supervise 3 agronomists in field stations based in Kabale, Lira, and in Eastern Uganda (likely Mbale or Iganga). Their primary function is to develop and disseminate intensified, sustainable production methods for smallholder farmers for priority commodities—Irish potato, cassava, rice (particularly paddy rice) and sunflower—as well as crops grown in association with these crops (usually as rotations). Dissemination is primarily through interaction with government and non-government partners, including farmer organizations, agro-input dealers, and NGOs.
The focus is on commercial, sustainable production to achieve marketable surpluses and reduced production costs. Commercial production will involve the use of fertilizers, organic matter management, improved germplasm, and good farming practices, which may include crop rotations/intercrops, crop/livestock integration, weed and pest control measures, minimum tillage, water harvesting, and erosion control measures. Farming-as-a-business skills are necessary, such as the ability to make farm budgets and evaluate the profitability of technical interventions.
The Senior Agronomist will have hands-on experience in growing two or more of the priority crops, practical knowledge of multiple cropping systems and good agricultural practices, and demonstrated experience in their application. S/he will be expected to identify agronomic constraints to commercializing smallholder production, and to address those constraints through the design of profitable farming systems, centered on production of priority commodities (above). S/he will be responsible for development of farmer training materials, in collaboration with partners, project field agronomists, and IFDC regional staff. The senior agronomist will also be responsible for overall design and execution of field demonstrations and data collection, and will work with the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor to assure accurate monitoring of project outputs. S/he will work with the project’s Agribusiness Cluster Advisor and the agro-inputs sector to develop the supply chain of agro-inputs required b y the project (improved seeds, fertilizers, and crop protection products). Together with the project’s Agribusiness Cluster Advisor, the Senior Agronomist will be responsible for overall program quality and supporting the field teams.
Required Skills
· Coordinate the development of simple, direct training materials, suited to both farmers and extension staff.
· Supervise regional agronomists to meet demonstration, training, and farmer adoption objectives.
· Identify production constraints or bottlenecks and develop means to address them.
· Prepare activity reports on a quarterly basis.
· Ensure that IFDC’s projects result in economically, environmentally and socially sustainable impact.
· Assist Chief of Party in budget development, and in monitoring project budget throughout the year.
· Establish and maintain contacts with private, government agencies, farmer groups and associations, and NGOs involved in commercial agriculture initiatives.
· Work with agro-inputs sector to ensure supply of quality inputs to project areas.
· Work with communications specialist to communicate project successes.
Required Experience
· Minimum Bachelors Degree (Masters preferred) with proven experience in agronomy, soil science, communication and innovation studies related to agriculture or any related field, with at least 10 years of relevant work experience in Africa
· Proven leadership skills; ability to work collaboratively in multi-cultural environments and in interdisciplinary team
· Previous experience working with commercial agricultural enterprises which have out grower schemes highly desirable .
· A commitment to and experience in community-based, participatory, field-oriented research and experiential learning approaches.
· Good networking skills; existing relations with government, private, and NGO actors in agricultural production.
· Farming-as-a-business and post-harvest handling knowledge/experience highly desirable.
· Experience with gender mainstreaming in agriculture projects highly desirable.
· Excellent communication and reporting skills in English.
· Knowledge of one or more languages in project area desirable.
· An ability to apply systems perspectives to natural resource management issues
· Excellent communication and reporting skills.
· Willing to travel extensively in Uganda.
How to apply:
Complete position descriptions and application procedures can be found on the internet at https://ifdc.silkroad.com/ifdc/Employment_Listings.html
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