Summary
Date Posted: Monday, October 24, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
The Government of Uganda (GoU) has received a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) towards financing a ten-year National Oil Seeds Project (NOSP).
The Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) as the Lead Project Agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government(MoLG) other agencies, the private sector and farmer Organizations. The Project will be implemented in six area-based hubs: West Nile, Gulu, Lira, Karamoja, East and Mid-Western Uganda.
The project goal of the NOSP is: 'inclusive rural transformation through sustainable development of the oilseeds sector, while the Programme Development Objective is to 'to accelerate commercialization in key oilseeds value chains and thereby improve the livelihoods and resilience of the smallholders engaged in oilseed production and marketing
According to the Financing Agreement with IFAD, MAAIF is expected to set up a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) for the day-to-day management and implementation of the NOSP.
Applications are therefore, invited from suitably qualified and experienced Ugandans to apply for the following positions existing in the National Oil Seeds Project Coordination Unit

Post: Agronomist
Reports to: Project Manager
Duty Station: Lira with frequent technical support and supervision visits to other hubs in Gulu, Eastern, Mid-western Uganda, Bunyoro and Karamoja
Contract Duration: Two-year contract renewable based on satisfactory performance against agreed targets and deliverables

Scope of work:
The agronomist will work in close collaboration with the Value Chain Team Leader, the Environment and Climate Change Specialist and the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Specialist to provide advice and support to NOSP implementation, to ensure that market-led interventions to enhance crop production and productivity are implemented and monitored.
The Agronomist will provide leadership and technical guidance to support the Farm Production Advisor, the Auxiliary Farm Services Promotion and the Quality Declared Seed Production schemes under Sub-component 1.2. The Agronomist will coordinate the recruitment of national and hub-based PSP and the identification and management of frontline Farmer Production Advisors
S/he will coordinate and build strong working relationships between the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes (ZARDIs), financial institutions, market actors and PSPs, as well as with the decentralized structures of MoA in the hubs. She/he will contribute to building the capacity of the Service Providers (SPS) to deliver better quality services to farmers more efficiently and effectively.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:
• Provide overall strategic guidance on agronomic, farming systems, seed systems, mechanization and demonstration practices to achieve the market development objectives
• Assist in the preparation of the Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB)
• In collaboration with NARO, ZARDls and the Climate Change/Environmental Specialist evaluate new varieties and climate resilient agricultural practices;
• Support NARO, ZARDI and Makerere university seed support activities; Develop the MoU, recruit and supervise the National and Hub based PSPs in achieving their agreed results-based activities;
• Participate in the coordination workshops and meetings at PMU and hub levels; Work closely with relevant staff and promote nutrition, gender, HIV/AIDS and environment mainstreaming in extension approaches; Supervise the National PSP in the development of a training curriculum to ensure it is relevant and appropriately written for oilseed producing smallholder farmers.
• Supervise training of the Farm Production Advisors (FPA) in required extension methodologies and technical innovations;
• Coordinate capacity building initiatives between the financial services, mechanization, seed services and FPA schemes;
• Provide support for the harmonization of the various existing participatory extension delivery services being used in the target hubs;
• Assist MAAIF staff in improving their capacity of information and knowledge sharing and documentation; In coordination with the PMU Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning specialist, provide guidance to NOSP and partners in the design and/or enhancement of participatory M&E tools and protocols to strengthen data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Assist in the design and implementation of baseline, mid term and final evaluations and ensure follow-up of findings recommendations to improve program quality
• Prepare contributions to progress reports.

Minimum academic Qualifications
• Applicants should be Ugandans holding at least a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Sciences with particular emphasis on Extension, Agronomy and/or Soil Science from a recognized University/ Institution
• A minimum of a post graduate Diploma in any of the above fields is of added advantage
• Working experience 7 years of working experience with participatory extension approaches in agronomy and agriculture related technology transfer in the Ugandan context.
• With Innovative, energetic individual demonstrated contributions to the field of agriculture and committed to seeing measurable impacts at farm level.
• Working experience in private sector engagement. 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.

• Competencies:
• Competency in field data collection, monitoring, analysis and reporting.
• Excellent communication skills - including fluency in English.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 84

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
All candidates should send their written applications with copies of identification documents, academic credentials, testimonials and detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV), indicating contact details of (03) referees addressed to
The Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries,
P.O. Box 102 Entebbe,
Uganda or hand delivered to the Ministry Registry located at Plot No. 14 Lugard Road, Entebbe
NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Submission deadline: Friday 4th November 2022

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