Organisation: Ministry of
Local Government
Funding Source: International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Project Name: Project for
Restoration of Livelihoods in the Northern Region (PRELNOR)
The Government
of the Republic of Uganda has received a loan and a grant from the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to finance the Project
for Restoration of Livelihoods in the Northern Region (PRELNOR), and intends to
apply some of the proceeds to recruit staff to implement the project. PRELNOR
will cover the districts of Adjumani, Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya
and Pader.
The overall
goal of the PRELNOR is: Increased income, food security and reduced
vulnerability of poor rural households in the project area. This will be
through increased sustainable production, productivity and climate resilience
of smallholder farmers with increased and profitable access to domestic and
export markets.
Job Summary: The
Agronomist / Extension Specialist (AES) will provide project leadership and
technical guidance in support of crop/livestock agriculture production and
extension activities under the Livelihoods component and ensure that climate
smart technologies and approaches are promoted and adopted by the smallholder
farmers. These activities will complement the natural resource management (NRM)
and climate adaptation activities in PRELNOR led by the environment and climate
change specialist to maintain and improve the project quality, and document
lessons learnt in the area of agriculture, with a focus on crop and livestock
management, water for productive uses, agro-enterprise development and building
household and community resilience. The agronomist/agricultural extension
specialist works in liaison with the program management unit based specialists
to ensure that interventions to enhance crop production and productivity are
implemented and monitored. The incumbent will render support in institution
building and develop strong working relationships with the National
Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) through the ZARDIs in identification
and application of appropriate technologies.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Project Implementation:
- Provide
overall strategic assistance on agronomic, farming system, seed system and
demonstration practices to achieve the intended food security objectives - Work
closely with ZARDI and climate change / environment specialist, evaluate
new varieties and climate resilient agricultural practices - Actively
promote crop diversification options that lead to higher nutrition and
food security for food insecure households - Work
in close consultation with district farmers associations to implement and
supervise agreed activities in selected communities and enhance their
capacity in effective extension service delivery - Support
the environment and climate change specialist to develop
agro-meteorological products and decision support systems for use by the
relevant departments of MAAIF, extension services and the private
sector/business partners - Develop
the MoU and manage the contract for the pilot small-holder mechanisation
adaption and demonstration activity to be implemented in one village in
each of the eight districts based on experiences of the smallholder
mechanization programme – Farm Mechanization and Conservation Agriculture
for Sustainable Intensification across Eastern Africa programme. - Work
with the agribusiness / partnerships management specialist to introduce an
appropriate set of post-harvest management technologies and conduct action
research on its socio-cultural acceptability and cost effectiveness.
2. Capacity Strengthening:
- Offer
support and direction to the project implementers (local governments, district
farmer associations and other agencies) on effective agricultural and
agribusiness extension services including farmer groups, FFS and other
participatory approaches for technology delivery to smallholder farmers. - Identify
training needs for extension technical master trainers and farmer group
facilitators and implement a capacity building plan based on these needs. - Steer
and organize training of trainer activities and training of the community
based facilitators (CBF) in required extension methodologies and technical
innovations. - Manage
the preparation of farmer user-friendly extension and technical literature
to disseminate appropriate information and ensure it is relevant and
appropriately written to suit farmers with limited education.
3. Monitoring, Evaluation and
Learning:
- Work
closely with the PMU Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning specialist,
provide guidance to PRELNOR and partners in the design and/or enhancement
of participatory M&E tools and protocols to strengthen data
collection, analysis and reporting. - Render
support in the design and implementation of baseline, mid-term and final
evaluations and ensure follow-up of findings/recommendations to improve
program quality
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The
incumbent should preferably hold a Master’s degree in agricultural
sciences with particular emphasis on extension, agronomy and/or soil
science from a recognised University / Institution. - A
minimum of five to ten years of working experience with participatory
extension approaches especially in farmer field school (FFS) and
participatory approaches in technology transfer in the Ugandan context. - Highly
innovative, energetic individual with demonstrated contributions to the
field of agriculture and committed to seeing measurable impacts at farm
level. - Demonstrated
capacity to take on a leadership position with strong managerial skills
and capacity to manage people and interact with a wide range of private
sector partners and public sector representatives, as well as managers and
implementers of large-scale rural / community / SME development
programmes. - Competency
in field data collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting. - Prior
working experience in de-centralized government entities and systems. - Possess
excellent communication skills – including fluency in English.
All suitably
qualified and interested candidates should send their applications accompanied
with detailed curriculum vitae, copies of academic certificates, transcripts
and testimonials including names and addresses of three referees to: Ag.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Worker’s House, 3rd Floor,
P.O. Box 7037 Kampala. Uganda
Deadline: 16th November, 2015
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