Vibrant Village Foundation Agronomist Jobs in Kenya

Vibrant Village Foundation Agronomist Jobs in Kenya

Vibrant Village Foundation (VVF) is a 501(c)3 private foundation based in Portland, Oregon,
U.S.A.

Founded in 2010, the Foundation provides direct assistance and grants in targeted communities in the areas of health and nutrition, clean water, agricultural development, education, the arts, and poverty reduction.

The Foundation currently supports programs in 14 countries around the world. Our goal is to achieve measurable and long-term results to improve lives and strengthen communities.

The Foundation’s office in Kenya was established in 2013 and currently operates a community development program among rural communities in Vihiga, Kisumu and Siaya Counties, Kenya.

The Foundation is recruiting a full-time Agronomist to head the Program on Regenerative Agricultural Transformation (PRAT).

The goal of the program is to improve food and income security by building the resilience of smallholder farmers in Western Kenya through enhancing the adoption of Regenerative Agriculture (RA) and mechanization technologies. OF THE ROLE

The holder of this position will take an active role in the design phase of the program, which includes the development of a detailed proposal, budget and work plans in collaboration with the African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT).

The role of the Agronomist is to provide overall technical leadership of PRAT including effective engagement of farming communities, testing of RA technologies, recruitment management, follow-ups, monitoring and evaluation, liaison with ACT and other program stakeholders and provide overall oversight of all field activities in all phases of program implementation.

The Agronomist will work with the senior leadership team and the PRAT program team to ensure the preliminary activities have been completed in 2023 in readiness for the program launch in Q1 of 2024.

This includes but not limited to ensuring the relevant systems, tools, protocols and processes are in place to enable the effective implementation of program activities.

Key Areas of Responsibilities are:

Program Planning & Development

Play an active role in all the stages of the program from design to all the phases of implementation

Be responsible for the design of the annual work plans, tools and processes for the effective implementation of the program activities

Work with the head of finance and operations in preparation of the program budget in line with the proposal and annual work plans

Be the key link between the program and ACT and other program partners and stakeholders

Lead Implementation of Agricultural Extension services

Provide leadership in mobilization, recruitment, organization and strengthening of farmers and farmer producer groups

Provision of on-ground advisory extension services to farmers

Promote & support commitment of farmers to soil health improvement

Provide leadership and on the ground guidance in the setting up of RA/CA demonstrations and organizing field days, farmer exchange visits

Support capacity development of farmers on CA through the VVF -Trainer of Trainers (TOT)
Extension Model (designed/provided by ACT)

Facilitate development and signing of contract farming agreements between farmers and aggregators

Provision of ground oversight, enforcement of contract farming and address emerging issues

Provide findings/feedback to the farmers and other stakeholders

Program Strategy Leadership

Work with ACT and the program M&E team in the development of M&E strategy and in the establishment of baselines and follow-up of program indicators

Work with and provide leadership to the M&E team in the data capture systems and tools that properly monitors and evaluates the program objectives.

Monitor the progress of the project and adoption of the technologies and provide feedback to all the key program actors and the other stakeholders

Ensure that crop production systems and activities among the program farmers and farming communities contribute to sustainable agriculture

Ensure the CA/RA values and principles being promoted by Vibrant Village Foundation are fully embraced by the farming communities and other key program stakeholders

Lead design of appropriate practices and provide technical agricultural value chain support in the areas of crop production and livestock keeping

Keep up to date with developments in the sector, including best

practice examples, to ensure on going organizational and personal development and learning

Provide technical support to the post-harvest handling and marketing of local crop products

Monitor and document the project progress, lessons, good experience and impact in collaboration with the farming communities and other program stakeholders

Identify any challenges and obstacles to the achievement of the program vision and goals and trouble shoot in a timely manner

Advice program teams on best practices to ensure quality outcomes for all crop production activities

Administrative Responsibilities

Provide technical and administrative leadership to all the program staff including ensuring all staff JDs are up to date and facilitation of their capacity development

As part of the senior leadership team, play an active role in setting the strategic priorities for the organization

Actively monitor the program progress and preparation of reports on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual basis

Performs other duties as assigned by the line manager.

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required.

All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

Education, Qualifications & Other Knowledge

MSc/BSc in Agronomy, Plant Sciences, Crop sciences, Arid land agriculture, Extension or other related disciplines

Knowledge of the agriculture development & policy environment in Kenya

Knowledge of agriculture value chains, mechanization uptake among small scale farmers and the principles of Conservation Agriculture

Knowledge of gender and social inclusiveness

Experience

At least five years of practical work experience in the field of agricultural crop production, agricultural mechanization, RA/CA and related.

Previous NGO work experience in rural development,

Good Experience in rural development particularly in diversified livelihood and participatory research approaches.

Experience with international organization, public sector institutions and/or funding agencies

Practical experience in providing training on crop production and protection to staffs and smallholder farmers.

Experience of project planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

Skills & Abilities

Excellent ability to develop and translate plans into cost-effective operations and activities in line with identified and available resources.

Very good English and Swahili language skills (written and spoken)

Understanding of Luo/Luhya and sensitivity to local cultures

Computer literacy, crop-related computer software applications, excellent record keeping and report writing

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Good team building skills and the ability to work in a multi partner approach

Training need assessment and training facilitation

Willingness to spend up to 50% of work time with rural farming communities, ability to work with minimum supervision

Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of Vibrant Village Foundation

Good community level facilitation and coordination skills

Values:

Community first – We exist to serve our communities. Therefore, our actions individually and collectively should reinforce the value that we put on our communities

Leadership – Each of us is a leader in our area of work. This should be demonstrated in our interaction with our co-workers, the community and other stakeholders

Integrity – Willingness to be accountable for our actions and hold others accountable for their actions

Dignity – We believe that our work should enhance the right to a healthy, productive and dignified life for the communities we work with.

How to Apply

Those who meet the above requirements should submit their short CV (maximum of 4 pages) and cover letter (maximum 1 page) addressing admin@vvf-kenya.org with the subject Agronomist for PRAT Program.

Indicate your expected renumeration in the cover letter

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