Agronomist/Project Assistant

ISLAMIC RELIEF Worldwide

SOMALILAND PROGRAMME

Vacancy Announcement

Position Title:	Agronomist/Project Assistant
Date of issued:	6th February 2020,
Closing Date	: 12th February, 2020
Reporting	: Livelihood Officer
Duty Station	: Hargeisa with frequent travel to the project locations

Line Management Responsibilities: None,

Duration of Initial Contract: 9 months with possibility of extension.

Background

Islamic Relief Somalia (IRS) has been operating in Somalia since 2006 and has responded to conflict and drought affected people through provision of life saving assistance. Through our projects, IR has continuously been providing safe drinking water, improving hygienic sanitation facilities, increasing hygiene awareness, particularly to ones living in IDP camps; empowering the urban poor and distressed working children, engaging in conflict management, mitigation and strengthening of community cohesiveness and co-existence.

Islamic Relief- Somaliland Office is currently starting to implement a fodder production project which is going to be implemented in Baki district, Awdal region/Somaliland and it is expecting to reach 1500 pastoral farmers to transfer knowledge of fodder practicing technology as a way of strengthening food security in the area. The project will improve the lives of the vulnerable agro-pastoralist community in Baki district since livestock are the core assets that underpin livelihoods of most households. Supporting livestock feed production through fodder farming will result in healthier and more productive livestock, which in turn will raise the prices of livestock.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Assist the Food Security and Livelihood project officer in developing and regularly updating a detailed project work plan guiding the project implementation plan.

Identify appropriate fodder seed and small-scale agricultural tools relevant to the locality and target community in collaboration with the local government.

Be involved in community mobilization, targeting and tracking distribution of inputs. Responsible in Beneficiary selections process, registration and verifications

Identify direct project beneficiaries in collaboration with the local community representatives and stakeholders from the government.

Provide technical support to local community in production on fodder production and post-harvest management.

Support the community in establishing and strengthen seed banks and construction storage facility for the fodder.

Identification of the needs of farmers and the farming practices used and formulation of an available achievable strategy to improve fodder production within the limited resources to farmers.

Collaborating with project team organizing field days and exposure visits among Farmers Field Schools (FFS) groups on demonstration and trial plots and update the progress regularly.

Preparation of training material and training of project beneficiaries on Farmers Field Schools (FFS) on Fodder production.

Working with extension agents and AMOUD university researchers and students on fodder production

Prepare and submit weekly, monthly, quarterly activity plans and reports of the project, and Submit to the relevant staff on time.

Support the Project officer in regular preparation of comprehensive project progress reports (monthly, Quarter and final reports).

Identify and request appropriate materials for the project as per the project document and ensure proper utilization of the project resources.

Work closely with line Ministries to ensure the project get full technical support from respective Ministries.

Represent Islamic Relief office in matters related with the project in the meetings for knowledge sharing when delegated.

Conduct surveys, assessments to continually identify gaps and needs in target district.

Conduct regular field visits to project site with Project officer and update the project manager/Head of Program with the progress of project activities in the field

Participate in Project monitoring and evaluation process throughout the project period Attend food security and livelihood meetings with partners and stakeholders in the field.

Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated.

Conducting rapid rural assessments in affected areas throughout the country whenever deemed necessary to look at food security and livelihood situations,

Monitoring food security situation across the country using different food security indicators, such as rainfall, market and price, crop and livestock, and humanitarian assistance,

Supporting the mandated food security sectors coordinating body as deemed necessary, including livelihood baseline data collection and analysis whenever Necessary

Perform other functions as requested by the immediate supervisor

Demonstrate strong commitment to be accountable to beneficiaries as it is a key Islamic Relief worldwide commitment to beneficiaries.

Minimum Qualifications & Skills

Minimum degree in plant science, rangeland management agronomy, Crop production, soil and water conservation, soil science, plant pathologists and climatology

Good technical knowledge on Production (Sudan grass, AlfaAlfa grass, sesbania sesban) and post-harvest management.

3 years’ experience in fodder production project implementation with an international NGO

Have relevant experience in early warning/food security information systems, food security analysis, as well as other related fields in INGOs or UN Body;

Excellent spoken and written communication in English and interpersonal skills; Excellent computer skills, GIS applications, mapping skills are added advantage.

Excellent coordinating with partners and stakeholders; and excellent analytical and report -writing skills; Supervisory, management, and donor coordination experience is an advantage.

APPLICATION PROCESS

IRW Somalia Program is inviting applications from qualified/Motivated candidates who are interested to submit their CVs and cover letters explaining, how they meet Job description.

Each application should be addressed to the HR account: hr.mogadishu@islamic- relief.or.ke and include the following:

cation letter

Academic Qualifications (certificates/Transcripts) Copy of your National ID card or passport

And contact information for three work-related referees.

Applications not including all of the above information will not be reviewed.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. IRW is an equal opportunity employer. Note:

Please make sure the job title in the mail subject line