Field Officer

Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (BCI) is a non-profit making and locally registered trust under the Trustees Incorporation Act of Malawi based in Mzuzu. Its mission is to support community development through conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD through the Development Fund of Norway (DF), is implementing a five-year project (20210 – 2025): Scaling-Up Climate Adapted Agriculture in Malawi and Mozambique.

The aim of the project is to increase the resilience to climate change and well-being of rural communities in Malawi and Mozambique. In Malawi, the project is being implemented in Machinga, Ntchisi, Mzimba and Rumphi districts.

BCI is implementing the project in Rumphi district in Katowo and Mwazisi Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) and Mzimba district in Kazomba and Vibangala Extension Planning Areas. BCI is, therefore, looking for a well-qualified and experienced person to immediately fill the following position for one year (from January – December 2025):

FIELD OFFICER (to be based in Rumphi District)

Purpose of the position is to coordinate the project activities in Katowo and Mwazisi EPAs in Rumphi district.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Provide technical backstopping on farmer managed seed systems, Community Seed Bank management, seed multiplication, seed processing and storage and participatory variety selection and evaluation;
• Organise agrobiodiversity inventories at the community level, collect seed of locally adapted plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, evaluate and multiply the collected materials;
• Coordinate training for Lead Farmers on sustainable agriculture practices such as soil and water conservation, integrated soil fertility management, conservation agriculture, multiple cropping, agroforestry and integrated pest management;
• Promote adoption of climate smart agriculture technologies among farmers including promotion of irrigation
• Facilitate establishment of tree nurseries for tree seedlings for agroforestry and woodlots;
• Facilitate establishment of vegetable gardens;
• Promote sustainable management of natural resources such as restoration of agricultural land, watersheds management and woodland;
• Coordinate livestock management including veterinary services;
• Facilitate establishment of climate adapted villages (CAV);
• Promote good nutrition interventions by working with community and district nutrition structures e.g. village nutrition networking committee, area nutrition networking committee, Nutrition Promoters, Cluster Leaders, and by promoting crop diversification and livestock production;
• Liaise and work with government extension staff, Area Development Committees (ADCs), Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Lead Farmers on promoting the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity, climate smart agriculture, livestock management;
• Keep appropriate data of BCI at the CSB and farmer-group levels;
• Empower and work with Village Savings and Loans groups, SMEs;
• Facilitate community mobilization and consultations:
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Executive Director from time to time.

Qualifications and essential skills

• Diploma in Agriculture or Agriculture and Natural Resources Management with a bias towards crop production and horticulture, irrigation with at least five years’ work experience in agriculture, nutrition and knowledge of conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture;
• Ability to work with farmers at a community level as well as ability to work in a multicultural set up;
• Knowledge of the Malawi agriculture production, and local farmers’ seed systems;
• Self-starter and able to work with minimal supervision and ability to meet deadlines;
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to motivate others;
• Those with basic knowledge of socio-cultural dynamics of the project site will have an added advantage.

Interested qualified applicants are requested to submit their applications with detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV), names, age and contacts of at least three traceable referees and copies of certificates to biodiversitymalawi@gmail.com or by post to the following address:

The Executive Director
Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (BCI)
P. O. Box 864
MZUZU

PLEASE INDICATE ON THE ENVELOPE (OR IN THE SUBJECT LINE) THE POSITION YOU ARE APPLYING FOR.

Biodiversity Conservation Initiative is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and other marginalized groups are encouraged to apply.

Closing date for receiving applications is 29th November, 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.