Agriculture Extension Advisor at Voluntary Service Overseas

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is the world's leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Our highimpact approach brings people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action to change lives and make the world a fairer place.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Agriculture Extension Advisor

Location: Niger

Job Purpose

• The goal of this role is to increase income and income security for the poor and marginalized through more equitable participation in value chains.
• You will be part of the implementation of the Increasing Market Access for the Poor (IMA4P) Project through changes in selected value chains and training in Agriculture Extension Services with focus on value chain crops such as soybean and maize.

Responsibilities

• Provide best practice agronomy training to farmers
• Contribute to the promotion of extension reforms and capacity development for extension/advisory services with special attention to demand-led, pluralistic, decentralized, market-orientated, and participatory approaches that meet the diverse needs of smallholders and rural people, especially women and marginal groups.
• Formulate and implement training that strengthen agricultural/rural extension and provide technical assistance in capacity development of agriculture innovation systems.
• Prepare advocacy materials and documents to support the strengthening of agriculture innovation systems and support services.
• Provide technical advice on design elements to strengthen and reform extension systems.
• Provide support in the organization and delivery of technical workshops, consultations, seminars and training sessions on conceptual and practical aspects of extension and rural knowledge institution improvements.
• Contribute to the preparation of studies, position papers and conceptual frameworks that strengthen extension systems and agriculture innovation systems.
• Maintain networks of collaboration with technical specialists to gather information and promote awareness of technical issues to improve extension systems and advisory services.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Key Performance Indicators
The Key performance indicators of this placement are that:

• Target beneficiaries are able to sustain their livelihoods and the livelihoods of their families. This includes managing their own businesses, supply their produce to the markets and are always able to meet the market demands by having adequate produce for identified markets.
• Below includes number indicators:
• Number of beneficiaries who have increased produce for the markets as a result of agriculture extension support and trainings received.
• Number of beneficiaries who have increased their income and have businesses as a result of training and support received.
• Number of beneficiaries able to reach the market demands through supplies of their produce.
• Number of beneficiaries supported/reached.
• Number of linkages along the value chain crops and value chain markets identified.

Competencies

• Building and Sustaining working relationship - The social skills to build and actively maintain working relationships that foster teamwork and collaboration with others for the benefit of a common goal.
• Open Minded and Respectfu - A non-judgemental approach that values other people and culture.
• Seeking and Sharing Knowledge - Recognition that learning is a two-way and continuous process.
• Facilitating Positive Change - The ability to analyse problems and develop lasting solutions in line with VSO approaches.
• Adaptability - A flexible approach and the ability to adapt behaviour to different situations.
• Resilience - The self-confidence to work with a variety of situations, diverse people and ambiguity

Skills and Knowledge

• Degree in Extension, Agriculture Sciences, Rural Development, or related field with knowledge of market development, project management, small-scale enterprise/ rural enterprise development or market development approaches, an understanding of natural resource management, conservation, and rural development.
• Have experience in project data gathering, planning and review in agriculture
• Have demonstrated experience in sustainable livelihoods development
• Technical expertise in institutional capacity building, systems strengthening, quality improvement approaches and commodities logistics.
• Good, clear communication skills
• Ability to adapt knowledge and experience to Nigeria
• Ability to support others to adapt ideas to their own context
• Proficiency in the use of Word, Excel, Power Point and/or Microsoft Project
• Good report writing skills
• Awareness and sensitivity of cross-cultural settings
• A preparedness to work with limited resources within a challenging environment
• Patience, tolerance and flexibility
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to maintain good working relationship
• Creativity in problem solving & conflict resolution
• Enthusiastic and good team player

Desirable:

• Able to speak hausa
• Previous work experience in West Africa

Application Closing Date
23rd November, 2015

Interview/Assessment date(s)
15th November, 2015

Start Date
11th June, 2016.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download more information (PDF)