Mercy Corps Agronomy Assistant Jobs in Uganda
Mercy Corps Agronomy Assistant Jobs in Uganda
General Position Summary The Assistant Agronomist will work to support the achievement of transformation of attitudes and behavior to improve the economic future and quality of life of Apolo program beneficiaries. The ability of the Assistant Agronomist to practically in the field with great AVA supervision drive the implementation of effective agricultural extension and advisory services for adoption of improved farming practices and technologies will be the position’s primary success factors. The third success factor will be the degree to which the incumbent successfully incorporates gender into program activities, not just by meeting gender beneficiary targets, but also innovatively consider the specific needs of women farmers and their constraints to farming (time, land ownership, money, decision making to mention a few.)
He or she will be responsible for sphere heading Famer Field School trainings and monitoring with continuous reporting of the status of the schools to the Agronomist together with good collaboration with the different lower district agriculture bodies like the Sub County Agriculture Officers.
The Assistant Agronomist will directly be in the frontline and responsible for successful practical field implementation and rolling-out of good farming practices which may include crop rotation/intercropping, seedbed preparation, planting, weed, pest and disease control measures, post harvest handling and storages, soil water conservation, perma-gardening and crop/livestock integration through field based training. The Assistant Agronomist through the AVAs will encourage farmers to adopt improved methods of conservation farming using a variety of methods to reach farmers. The best method though, is through personal contact with farmers on their farms; other methods such as: organizing study groups for farmers, establishment and management of crop demonstration plots, farmer field days and exchange visits will be used in reaching out farmers to promote adoption. The Assistant Agronomist will achieve this in liaison with AVAs, lead or model farmers, MCGs, VSLAs, Youth groups, Farmer groups, Enterprise Groups, Local government and Sub-county production department, agro-input dealers, and other Apolou program filed staffs staff. The agricultural extension and advisory services will also include community based Orange Flesh Sweet Potato and Iron beans and he or she will take lead with his or her technical personnel to lead the farmers on ground.
The main target is to promote crop diversification for proper and successful utilization of quality agro-inputs (improved seeds, equipment and tools, fertilizers, crop protection chemicals) to increase production and productivity of the priority crops towards improved food security and livelihoods of the program beneficiaries while addressing malnutrition challenges in northern and Southern Karamoja. In addition, the work involves considerable monitoring and assessing agricultural conditions and results.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Participate in developing messages, structures and systems to continually improve Apolou`s Agricultural Private sector led Extension Services to improve the productivity of poor farmers and help them turn that productivity into improved food security and livelihoods. Focus is on crop production, vegetable gardening and post-harvest handling.
Directly supervise the AVAs to take lead in Apolou Agricultural Extension Work and supervise AVA field activities to ensure effective use of resources and successful targeting of services to the most vulnerable beneficiaries’ farmers in northern and Southern Karamoja.
Actively participate in community mobilization and sensitization for adoption of best Famer field school agronomic practices.
Identify training needs, production constraints and devise solutions to address the problems at hand and inform the Agronomy Team Lead.
Conduct training of Apolou AVAs on selected topics in the extension curriculum and Famer Field School and ensure training is in accordance with the guidelines.
Collect, compile, verify, enter and keep data on Apolo program beneficiaries to inform programming, this will involve collecting all Agricultural Village Agent`s monthly reports from the field.
Work hand in hand with the local agrodelaers and other input and output dealers link farmers to access genuine agro-input implements from agro-input dealers, retailers, agents or stockiest.
Coordinate and work closely with district production department/sub county authorities to ensure that they are informed about the program activities through curtsey visits to the Sub county headquarters of program operation and at the production department at the district.
Prepare timely monthly progress reports by providing data to support evidence of tasks accomplished by all AVAs and other work plan activities accomplished and submit to Agronomy Team Lead.
Represent the Agronomy Team Lead and the agronomy extension sector in any Apolou agricultural extension and advisory services in northern and Southern Karamoja.
Carryout ground field verification of AVAs reports to capture the face and rate of farmer adoption to new technologies and better farming practices.
Participate in monthly sector review meetings.
Give technical support and ground supervision of AVAs to ensure implementation of quality demonstration plots, farmer field days, farmer exchange visits, and perma-gardening and seed nurseries bed that may be supported by Apolo program.
Support the AVAs in program participant selection to ensure there is a gender lens applied during the selection
Participate in the program reviews, assessments, monitoring activities, learning and evaluations.
Support the Agronomy Team Lead with overall implementation of agriculture activities; develop future follow-on activity and any task as required.
Program Implementation
Sensitize community leadership on different Apolou thematic areas i.e. Governance, MCHN, WASH, Gender, SBCC, Adolescents and Livelihoods.
Conduct participant identification exercises for the different activities in the community.
Mobilize participants for planned activities in respective locations for technical teams to work with.
Organize and supervise community trainings in line with the approved work plan and budget based on Multi Sectoral approach.
Lead and/or support community respective community members to lead community dialogues based of the different technical areas.
Coordinate with all sectors in Apolou to ensure complementary approaches, monitor implementation of project activities and document learnings and success stories.
Collaborate with fellow facilitation Assistants to ensure team success, including but not limited to logistics coordination, temporary support during leave, etc., as advised by facilitation Officers.
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications and Experience:
A minimum of a B.Sc. in PURELY Agronomy is desirable and preferred.
A candidate with a Diploma in General Agriculture and a minimum of 3 years’ field experience in agricultural extension services, agricultural programming, Famer Field school, farmer training and community mobilization, project planning, activities with women, and similar relevant activities can apply.
Candidate must be a self-starter, motivated and able to work independently and take initiative.
The successful candidate will also have excellent English language, verbal and written communication skills; proficiency in Ng’akarimojong or Lepthur is also preferable.
Candidate must be willing to and able to travel extensively throughout northern Karamoja districts or program sites. Computer skill i.e. MS Office, MS excel and valid motorcycle riding permit is an added advantage.
Success Factors
The ability of the Assistant Agronomy Team Lead to practically drive the implementation of effective Famer Field School and agricultural extension services and the adoption of improved conservation agriculture practices.
Degree to which that person successfully incorporates gender into program activities, not just by meeting gender beneficiary targets, but also be innovatively considering the specific needs of women farmers and their constraints to farming (time, land ownership money, etc.)
Degree to which person drives the AVA and participants` social behavior towards improved agronomic practices.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; Mercy Corps Agronomy Assistant Jobs in Uganda
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