AG Care is one of the local partners implementing the Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Agriculture Transformation and Resilience [TRANSFORM] programme in Dowa, Kasungu and Mchinji districts. The overall objective of the program is to strengthen local food systems in the selected EPAs by demonstrating a sustainable improvement of food and nutrition security, resilience to climate change and income among agriculture dependent rural households.

AG Care primary focus in Transform program is to implement Micro-investment drip irrigation approach that seeks to increase productivity, production and diversification of high value vegetables.

A job vacancy has risen with the following  details;

Position: Agronomist

Duty Station:  Kasungu

Contract Duration: 3.5 months from October  2024 with a possibility of extension depending on funding availability and performance.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Mobilize communities and establish incubators in the catchment area.
• Facilitate all micro investment [MI] activities amongst established incubators in catchment areas.
• Facilitate the implementation of evidence-based and innovative methodologies for climate resilience and agricultural transformation.
• Increase productivity, production and diversification of climate adaptive agriculture for smallholder farmers.
• Build capacity for farmer organizations [i.e. cooperatives and community-based organizations] in good governance, financial management, market research, crop husbandry practices, value addition and post-harvest handling.
• Facilitate and establish input suppliers and off-takers agreements with smallholder farmers and farmers’ organizations.
• Facilitate training sessions of community members and other relevant stakeholders to have improved knowledge, skills, attitude and practice of climate change and related ecosystem based risk reduction processes to improve agro biodiversity, increase afforestation and improve land productivity.
• Train youth in agricultural value chains, such as providing service on installing small scale drip irrigations, mechanization, fabrication and maintenance services, jobs in value addition activities such as processing, etc.
• Improve income levels through transforming small scale food producers from subsistence farmers to successful commercial food producers.
• Ensure cross-cutting [gender, diversity, HIV and AIDS and environmental] issues are effectively taken on board in all program plans and activities.
• Increased consumption of nutritious and diverse food.
• Increase access to improved WASH services.
• Identify, investigate, verify and document success stories, and lessons learnt in all project interventions.
• Train farmers to demonstrate, understand and use gross margins across crop seasons on various value chains.
• Demonstrate the use of Integrated Pest and Disease Management.
• Train every incubator to meet all the required quality standards e.g. [fence structure, manure, cleanliness, drip kit stands, beds, labels, record keeping, drip kit management etc.].
• Encourage farmers and assist them to have and document SMART visions [both personal and incubator level].
• Facilitate farmers’ reinvestment in additional drip irrigation kits and individual investment.
• Explore and assess new and better ways to implement activities [innovation].
• Production of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
• Generation and submission of program activities, outputs and outcomes data through KOBO.
• Documentation and production of transformation success stories emerging from beneficiaries [digital stories].
• Plan, facilitate and conduct trainings on conceptual understanding on various project components and capacity building for beneficiaries.
• Ensure proper documentation and filling of all program documents soft copy and physical filling].
• Participate in assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes for the various intervention activities of the program.
• Ensure good collaboration with government and other stakeholders.
• Any other duties related to furthering the vision and mission of AG Care.

MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE:

• Qualifications – Bachelor of Science in Agricultural General, Agriculture Extension, Irrigation Engineering, Horticulture, Agronomy, Agribusiness Management or any related field.
• Minimum of two-year practical work experience in agricultural extension services.
• Must have a valid motorbike license.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

Interested candidates who meet the requirements should submit their applications and CVs and provide names and contacts of three traceable referees by 20^th September 2024 through email or hand delivery at AG Care Head Office, Lilongwe. Please indicate on the email/letter the post you are applying for.

Only shortlisted candidates will receive feedback.

Applicants should send their applications through email to: [Including copies of certificates] or hand delivered to:

The Human Resource Officer

AG Care,

P.O. Box 1220,

Lilongwe.

Email:hr.agcare@gmail.com