Agriculture Extension Officer-Balkh

TOR

Re- Announced Agriculture Extension Officer 

Job Categories:                                  Agriculture

Minimum Education Level:         Bachelor  

Position:                                             Agriculture Extension Officer

Organization:                                    Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL).

Duty station:                                     Balkh

BACKGROUND

Support to National Priority Program2 (SNaPP2) is a development project of MAIL funded IFAD with the goal to improve food security and economic status of poor rural households in three provinces; Balkh, Herat, and Nangarhar. The Sector Focus of CLAP and SNaPP projects (Poverty Reduction, Food Security, Income Opportunity, M&E). The project will reach at least 57,000 households consisting of 427,500 people in these provinces. Community Livestock and Agriculture Project (CLAP). The overall goal of the project is to contribute to poverty reduction in rural Afghanistan. The long term goal of the project is to contribute to reducing poverty in rural Afghanistan and its short term goal to improve the food security of 169,500 rural households in selected districts in the provinces of Kabul, Parwan, and Logar by increasing agriculture and livestock productivity. While the SNaPP projects have two specific objectives:

(i)  institutional development and capacity building of community organizations, public extension services, and relevant private sector entities in the provinces; and

(ii)  sustained increased incomes of small farmers and herders fostered by improvements in productivity and output, infrastructure, and market linkages. These objectives will be addressed through supporting institutions and services, fostering increased productivity and production, and where feasible, upgrading profitable agriculture/livestock value chains.

JobSummary:
Under the overall supervision of the Program director, Project Manager and Extension coordinator of the SNaPP2 project the Agricultural extension officer will be based in Herat) and will be supervised by Provincial Extension advisor/Coordinator. The Agricultural extension officer will work closely with Extension workers, Community Extension workers, farmer’s groups, to enhance their capacity and identifying extension and agriculture development issues, develop plans.
 

Education:

• BS.c in Agriculture Extension, Agronomy or Horticulture.

Experience:

• At least 4 years of work experience related fields.
• At least 2 years’ experience in similar position.
• Professional, relevant experience in Afghanistan required.

Skills:

• Familiarity with Agriculture and specifically Extension issues in Afghanistan is highly desirable
• Familiarity with project management approaches, tools and phases of the project lifecycle.
• Able to work effectively at all levels in an organization.
• Excellent active listening skills.
• Problem solving and root cause identification skills.
• Strong analytic and decision making abilities.
• Must be a team player and able to work with and through others.
• Ability to take direction and to focus on and follow through on priority activities and assignments.
• Ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising the quality, team spirit and constructive working relationships with all colleagues.
• Excellent organizational skills, detail-orientation and flexible work style.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and/or sensitive information.
• Excellent English, Dari and Pashto communication skills required.
• Fluency in English, Pashto and Dari is required. 

Job Duties & Responsibilities:
The key focus of extension service under SNaPP2 will be development of community groups, Farmers Learning Resource Centre (FLRC), community-based Extension workers, community planning and implementation of development actions based on demand driven and participatory methods in collaboration with the CDCs and other groups.

• Assess existing situation of agricultural extension and rural support services in target areas.
• Assess existing capacities and limitations of the extension service providers.
• Establish and support Farmer's Learning and Resource Centres (FLRCs), farmer’s interest groups and producers' associations, and to facilitate private sector linkages.
• Strengthen the planning, implementation and monitoring capacities of the provincial and district extension staff.
• Support Establishment of Farmers Field Schools (FFS) with close coordination of Extension workers.
• Support the introduction and adoption of appropriate horticultural and agronomic technologies specifically for rain-feed and irrigated wheat production and productivity to contribute to food security.
• Review contributions of training programs launched for the farmers, field trainers, extension staff and stakeholders involved in the supply of inputs and market development.
• Examine potentials for modernizing agriculture through delivery of effective extension and rural support services.
• Advice, support and guide Provincial and District teams on agriculture related issues.
• Identify and create farmers’ groups, associations and unions for the development and dissemination of agricultural extension and rural support services.
• Suggest policy measures required for the improvement of agricultural extension and rural support services delivery.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of required technical and other reports and success stories as outlined in the program.
• Assist the senior management of General Directorate of Extension and Agriculture Development and other team members with the management, oversight, coordination and monitoring of all operations in the field.
• Be able to travel frequently to the project sites in districts where SNaPP2 project is implemented.
• Prepare training materials and work as trainer in areas related to extension in all regular training courses of the project, especially for component 2.
• Prepare reports on extension activities ( Weekly, Monthly, quarterly and annually)
• Other relevant activities assigned by supervisor/ project from time to time

Submission Guidelines:

• The interested candidates should submit their resume alone with a cover letter.
• Please note that application received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Only short-listed candidates whose application responds to the above criteria will be contacted for written test.

Submission email: vacancies.rmlsp@gmail.com