Agronomist Officer at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Agronomist Officer

Location: Geidam LGA, Yobe
Employment Type: Full-time

Overall Responsibilities

• The Agro Officer/Agronomist/FSL Officer-Agro will supervise the organization’s, implementation and the monitoring of on farm Livelihoods program on a daily basis in keeping with COOPI procedures and standards.
• He shall be responsible for the management and implementation of COOPI’s Livelihoods and resilience building program component in Yobe for Internally Displaced Persons, host community members and other affected populations.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Agro Officer / Agronomist / FSL Officer-Agro is required to support in the implementation of agriculture activities of the project through livelihood interventions, business management, technical trainings and capacity building to improve skills or production in new/pre-existing livelihood assets.

Activities Supervision:

• Work with traditional committees to ensure the identification and selection of the most vulnerable beneficiaries for cash/asset for work and organize and supervise the identification and selection registration of beneficiaries for the on farm Livelihoods activities.
• Facilitate community mobilization towards farmers’ field school and small holders gardening.
• Support in the implementation of capacity building training including field training and workshops for the target beneficiaries on vegetable production, seed conservation, farm management and storage.
• Supervise and compile information to ensure that the surveillance of the farming situation in the area of implementation of the program is achieving the expected result, when required.
• Implement field activities for targeted communities about agricultural activities and strengthening nutrition sensitive agriculture with support from relevant State, LGA and community stakeholders at LGA level.
• Supervise and organize all assessments for the projects or for new projects especially monthly price and market assessment.
• Analyze the humanitarian situation, taking protection problems into consideration/Do no Harm Principle. Propose action plan to ensure that beneficiaries and local populations both understand the project goals and actively participate in their implementation.
• Act as a liaison with the local population and authorities in order to identify the needs, grievances and major events that could have potential consequences for COOPI activity

Technical Support:

• Support stakeholder mapping of agricultural and resilience stakeholders.
• Support the identification and registration of vulnerable smallholders farmers. Contribute to the development of project community mobilization strategies for targeting and registration of beneficiaries for the agricultural production activities.
• Identify/create farmer and livestock associations/cooperatives for strengthening
• Adapt Resilience Design in Smallholder Farming Systems to the State needs
• Produce user friendly training manuals/guides on the production and reduction of post-harvest losses for various crops produced in North East Nigeria
• Facilitate training-of-trainer modules for the States ADP extension services
• Develop knowledge dissemination plan for RD in smallholder agriculture with the State Ministry of Agriculture,
• Premium-priced traders are linked to mature associations
• Provide business support services and facilitate business linkages for improved seed suppliers to increase ease of access and availability of improved seeds for smallholder farmer.

Knowledge management, Communication and reporting:

• Support resilience teams including the COOPI Program in collection and or publication of good practices, success stories, project outcome documents, etc. in resilience work with Communication, Learning to develop knowledge products, communication materials and other IEC materials to promote awareness raising about Resilience for schools, farmers and communities.
• Report to the Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager on the progress of activities, challenges encountered, lessons learned and good practices.
• Collect and Compile collected data, pictures and collect information from the field to present weekly internal reports to the Project Manager.
• Compile collected data and collect information from the team to present regular reports to the Livelihood-DPM on the progress of activities, problems encountered, the quality of relations with beneficiaries and propose actions to improve the project
• Pass on any information or problems to his/her direct and/or indirect supervisor concerning his/her task, COOPI programs, or safety aspects
• Report immediately any delay, problem or other relevant information to the Livelihood Project Manager.

Capacity Building:

• Responsible for coordinating all Best Management Practice activities (fIeld visits, farmer sensitization, training, data collection and collation, reporting, etc.) at the BMP demonstration sites.
• Organize and supervise the Best Agronomic practice training (BAPs) and Good Agronomic Practice trainings (GAPs) assessment and the identification of the main chains in the targeted area.
• Coordinates and prioritises relevant project activities at the local level in cooperation with the partners, as well as in organizational preparation and in the implementation of these activities.
• Ensure the proper training and supervision of the community’s volunteers and daily workers who take part in the project. Training farmers and plantation staff in good agronomic practices.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Collect information and data on Livelihoods and food security at LGA level through surveys, assessments and regular post distribution monitoring of beneficiary households
• Collate information and data on agricultural activities through surveys, assessments, regular post distribution monitoring and field supervision visits of beneficiary households.
• Collaboration with other partners including relevant stakeholders.
• Participate in writing situation reports with information on food security, security information at the community when required.
• Collect, enter and analyse information as requested by his/her supervisor.
• Participate in the development of training curriculum and train beneficiaries according to the defined schedule.
• Support the M&E team in analysis of beneficiary data collection through the various tools that the department uses.
• Keep monitoring tools and files archived at the COOPI office, ensuring their availability to his/her Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager.
• Coordinate closely with the Livelihood DPM to ensure that cross-LGA programs are being implemented in synergy.
• Participate in inter agency coordination forums at LGA and State level as required.
• Set agreed indicators and milestones based on the result framework developed.
• Provide feedback to the programme team based on the field monitoring visits.
• Support the project team in developing high quality project/programme reports regarding resilience perspective.
• Liaise with COOPI MEAL Team colleagues and some project partners to ensure timely submission of contributions. Support the M&E team in analysis of beneficiary data collection through the various tools.

Networking, Mobilization and Coordination Support:

• Mobilization and awareness raising about the organization, program objectives and activities to local authorities and the population, and act as a link between the organization and the beneficiaries (at LGA level)
• Work closely with community structures to follow up on implementation of on farm Income Generating Activities.
• Support in the implementation of Livelihoods capacity building training for the target beneficiaries at the LGA level.
• Implement detailed work plan for Livelihood team at LGA level activities whilst respecting the timely planning and set-up of the activities
• Contribute to the development of project community mobilisation strategies for targeting and new needs identification in the community.
• Supervise the Implementation of sensitisation activities for targeted communities about strengthening livelihood restoration activities whilst collaborating with the State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA), Extension workers, Community Volunteers, traditional leaders and other key stakeholders in feasible livelihood restoration activities at LGA level.
• Support the Supervisor to ensure that beneficiaries’ access to the service provider guarantees protection and gender sensitivity in the field key activities
• Represent COOPI in coordination meetings and conferences as requested by the Program Manager.
• Responsible for maintaining relationships with farmers and Institutions.

Team supervision:

• Participate to the recruitment of adhoc workers, field support staff and any other position that could be recruited on his/her team.
• Organize the day-to-day schedule with the team to guarantee the smooth running of the project
• Ensure the proper training and supervision of the daily workers who take part in the project

Logistic & administration:

• Under the responsibility of the Deputy Project Manager, Project Manager and Program Manager, contribute to logistical and administrative organization of the activities
• He contributes to the definition of the needs in materials and tools regarding the program and the planning of interventions.
• Ensure the safety and good condition of all material provided by COOPI.
• Inform the Project Manager in case of security incidents, rumours or any security information.
• Ensure the follow-up and the proper use of materials and tools used during on-site works.
• Manage the supply of materials to the work site in collaboration with logistics department.
• Analyse the security situation in the area and inform the project Manager and Head of Base in case of security incidents, rumours or any security information.

Requirements
Professional skills and qualifications needed for the position:

• Degree in Agronomy / relevant training.
• Experience in Farmers Training
• Two- three years’ experience in related work
• Experience / knowledge in Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Experience in participatory methodologies
• Good computing skills, including MS Word and Excel
• Experience in facilitating training of trainers
• Knowledge in developing training curriculum
• Experience working with International NGOs
• Good communication skills, both oral and written
• Strong initiative, flexible and able to plan and implement work plan with minimum supervision
• Awareness of security matters and protocols
• Willingness to take challenges and to work in difficult conditions
• Courtesy and sensitivity in working with communities
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote where services are limited
• Experience in developing training module Good knowledge in project cycle management
• Excellent attention to detail for providing accurate DRR capacity gap analysis, documentation and data.

Personal qualifications needed for the position:

• Committed to rights based and gender sensitivity work, pro-poor policy, committed and strong civil society organizations and social mobilization.
• Able, willing, and committed to work with people from different backgrounds.
• Contribute constructively to a working environment based on mutual respect, trust, and commitment
• Able to cope with stress and work under any challenging circumstances.

NB: This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the Project Manager and direct supervisor for what concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of the local language (Hausa and Kanuri).
• Proficient in data collection and handling bulk registers of beneficiaries.
• Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.

Application Closing Date
23rd April, 2021.