Overview of position

• Our clients Somalia’s Strategic Outcome 3 (SO3) seeks to have national institutions, private sector, smallholder farmers & food insecure & nutritionally vulnerable populations in Somalia benefit from climate smart, productive, resilient, inclusive & nutritious food systems by 2030.

• A key initiative, funded by the World Bank under the Global Agriculture Food Security Program (GAFSP), involves a direct partnership with the Sariiraale farmers' cooperative society. This innovative approach bypasses traditional Cooperating Partners (CPs) & channels resources directly to the cooperative.

• However, to maximize the project's impact, the Sariiraale cooperative requires additional expertise. Therefore, an Agronomist will be recruited to play a crucial role. This expert will oversee & implement agricultural activities, providing invaluable knowledge in crop management, soil health & sustainable farming practices. Their support will extend beyond the Sariiraale cooperative, empowering other cooperatives supported by WFP under the food systems program, ultimately scaling up market based agricultural productivity & income enhancement across Hirshabelle.

Role objectives

This primary objective is to empower People’s Organizations (POs) by enhancing their crop production efficiency & productivity, fostering connections across the value chain & promoting sustainable & environmentally responsible practices. Ultimately, the goal is to boost the profitability & success of these organizations through innovative & sustainable agricultural practices that benefit both producers & the environment. Working closely with area offices, local authorities, partners & community stakeholders, the Agronomist will actively contribute to SO3 by:

• Supporting the planning, design & implementation of context specific food systems & resilience projects.

• Identifying & pursuing opportunities for independent & / or joint food systems projects with diverse stakeholders, including government, academia, the private sector, communities, NGOs & others.

• Supporting area offices to engage stakeholders & communicate WFP's resilience & food systems strategy effectively.

• Positioning WFP as a preferred partner for resilience & food systems initiatives among stakeholders in the field.

Expected output:

• Build the capacity of PO to conduct soil analysis & recommend appropriate soil management practices to Sariiraale farmer’s cooperative society.

• Develop & implement crop management plans, including planting schedules, irrigation & pest control measures.

• Provide guidance on sustainable & climate resilient farming techniques.

• Monitor & evaluate crop performance, identifying areas for improvement.

• Collaborate with local farmers, providing training on best agronomic practices.

• Support the introduction of new crop varieties suitable for local conditions.

• Contribute to the development of agroforestry & conservation practices.

• Train Sariiraale cooperative society farmers on farming as a business through imparting skills on commercial business mindset, record keeping, enterprise budgeting & marketing among other trainings.

• Identify value chain actors (private & public), financial institution.

• Facilitate market linkage between Sariiraale farmer’s cooperative society & markets (input, output & service) locally & regionally.  

• Facilitate linkages between Sariiraale farmer’s cooperative society & financial institutions for the smallholder farmers to access loans.

• The Agronomist should aim to optimize the use of resources such as soil, water & fertilizers to enhance crop yields.

• Additionally, the Agronomist should prioritize socially responsible practices, such as evaluating growing methods for their environmental impact.

• Implementing & monitoring the sustainable farming practices.

Project reporting

• Weekly update.

• Monthly report.

• Regular monitoring of activities.

• Biweekly virtual meeting to report on project implementation progress.

• Joint monitoring reports with MoAI / our client.

Key competencies

• University degree or higher education relevant to the assignment (agriculture, agricultural economics, agronomy etc.) with 4 - 5 years’ experience of working in agriculture in a humanitarian / recovery context preferably related to agronomic practices & agricultural marketing.

• Documented familiarity with rural livelihoods, farmer cooperatives, good agricultural practices, climate smart agriculture, market linkages & marketing training at grass root & higher levels.

• Familiarity with local agricultural conditions & challenges.

• Strong communication, interpersonal, analytical & negotiation skills.

• Overall good knowledge of geography, local population & local language in the areas of operational interests.

• Good understanding of community participation & very good ability to communicate with farmers. 

• Ready to work, live & travel in an intricate & strenuous environment.

• Must have prior work experience in Hirshabelle state of Somalia.

• Must be fluent in Somali & English.

Team management

This role has no team management responsibility.

Further information

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.

Disclaimer:
· At no stage of the recruitment process will CTG ask candidates for a fee. This includes during the application stage, interview, assessment and training.
· CTG has a zero tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) which is outlined in its Code of Conduct. Protection from SEA is everyone’s responsibility and all staff are required to adhere to CTG’s Code of Conduct at all times.