Project Field Officers Jobs in Kenya

Duma Works is recruiting Project Field Officers for one of our clients: a consulting firm specializing in advisory services for seed system development in sub-Saharan Africa.

Duration:
 Six Months contract

Project Background:
 Our client has been contracted, to deliver the Seeds Project under their Market Assistance Programme (MAP). Seed is one of the most critical, and most transformative, agricultural inputs for all farmers. 

For small holder farmers, seed is the cornerstone to improving their productivity, and is very possibly the best potential investment they can make to alleviate their poverty. 

Crop seed work involves several initiatives meant to promote production and use of certified seeds by farmers. The initiatives seek to build capacity of agro-dealers, to professionalise their businesses and adhere to the prescribed quality standards. 

We seek to build networks amongst the agro-dealers while linking them to available business opportunities. 

The company has managed to mobilise agro-dealers from over 30 counties under various initiatives such as Mazao Forums, County agro-dealer associations and stakeholder meetings. 

They have also partnered with agro-dealers to establish 17 Climate smart demos in 3 counties, with the purpose of helping farmers understand the unique attributes in certified seeds that can cope with the changing climatic conditions.

In regards, persons who qualify as a Project Field Officers will oversee activities under distribution intervention.

Scope of Work
Climate smart agro-dealer led demo plots management:
  • Support in promoting agro-dealer led demos and recording adoption by different Agro-dealers
  • Work with agro-dealers in recording the different crop performance per demo
  • In partnership with the agro-dealers, ensure that the demo plot is well labeled
  • Monitor any problems such as pest infestation, diseases susceptibility in the varieties planted in the demos
  • Assist in recording the maturity period and yield performance
  • Liaising with agro-dealers, MOA Extension Officers for field day mobilization
  • Provide liaison in measuring the demo impact on the crop seed sales, new varieties adoption after the demos and change of agro-dealer/farmer behavior.
Field days preparation and facilitation:
  • Liaise with agro-dealers in selecting the best demo plots and organizing budget demos
  • Assist agro-dealers in planning and organizing for smart climate demo field days
  • Assist the agro-dealers in sending invitations to the farmers, farmer groups , other agro-dealers and stakeholders
  • Gathering of feedbacks from farmers and analyzing
Visits to Mazao forum agro-dealers in the regions assigned:
  • Gather evidence , evaluate changes and adoptions of best business practices discussed at the forums
  • Establish baseline of what the agro-dealers sell and report changes as a result of the projects interventions
  • Advise agro-dealers on crop seed positioning
  • Provide linkages with the crop seed suppliers and other service providers
  • Distributing promotional materials to agro-dealers and farmers
  • Training agro-dealers and farmers on use of Mbegu Choice
  • Exhibiting in field-days exhibitions and stakeholders meetings
  • Updating agro-dealers information on Seed Sector Platform Kenya
Other duties:
  • Representing Crop Seed Sector at meetings taking place at the agro-dealer and farmer level
  • Championing for Mbegu Choice use with farmers and agro-dealers
  • Conducting follow up of other project activities as required
Expected results:
  • Build a database of agro-dealers adopting and crowding in, in the project activities
  • Build a database of farmers that will be used to measure the adoption of the seed sector activities at the farmer level
  • Regularly update Seed Sector Platform Kenya to capture all the agro-dealers in your area of work
  • Promote Mbegu Choice: this will be measured through farmer use of modern and new varieties and; the website user ratings
  • Climate smart demo adoption as the agro-dealer industry norm
  • Mazao Forum new participants increase
  • Counties recognition of the Crop Seed Sector programs
The project officer will submit a weekly work plan and report.

Minimum Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy or related discipline
  • A minimum experience of 2 years in a similar role.
  • Experience working in a busy Agriculture related firm will be an added advantage.
  • Ready to travel countrywide.
How to Apply

Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and detailed CV are to be sent by email to apply@dumaworks.com marking the subject as “2267”, Your Full name & Phone number e.g. 2267, Barack Obama, 07xxxxxxxxx. 

If you don’t follow these instructions, your application will not go through

Deadline for receiving applications: 24th June 2016

N.B.* When applying to any job through Duma Works, you can expect that after you apply, you will receive a confirmation email, and then an SMS alert asking you to take a basic screening test over SMS or online. The SMS with the test may not arrive immediately. Please be patient. The SMS test will typically be 5-8 questions to help us understand your background. Regular SMS rates apply to the test, and if you ever have any issues with the process, please reach out to 0702093793.

If you apply and don’t meet these minimum qualifications, we won’t be able to forward your application to the employer. This is to save both you and the employer time and make sure you both find the best match.