Technical Advisor: Farmer Advisory Services – MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND LAND REFORM 919 views

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND LAND REFORM

Directorate of Resettlement and Regional Programme Implementation
Programme for Communal Land Development (PCLD)

1x Technical Advisor – Farmer Advisory Services (Contract)

Duty station: Rundu

About Farmer Advisory Services:

• Provision of agricultural technical knowledge to farmers in PCLD focal areas through training, mentoring and practical demonstrations of various aspects of farming.

Minimum requirements:

• Bachelor Degree in Agriculture, Economics, Rural Development plus at least 9 years of professional experience in advising/ training of commercial and emerging commercial farmers. Practical knowledge of production-oriented farming, preferably (but not necessarily) having been a farmer him-/herself, with good practical fanning skills.
• Profound understanding of commercial agricultural fanning in Namibia in general and the specific challenges in the northern and eastern communal areas in particular.
• Good understanding of the institutional landscape and key stakeholders the PCLD advisory services have to deal with.
• Proven ability to manage, supervise and motivate a team of experienced advisors, mentors and other staff.
• Additional requirements:
• Candidate must be in possession of a valid driver s license.
• Ability to work under pressure and time constraints
• Good report writing and presentation/moderation skits is an added advantage
• Namibian citizen

Preference will be given to applicants In possession of the following (Knowledge, Skills and Experience):

• Ability to provide technical agricultural advice to project beneficiaries and mentors.
• Ability to conduct farmer training, farmer information days, excursions, and evening classes for PCLD target groups.
• Ability to draft and formulate training and mentoring schedules.
• Ability to supervise, review and coordinate the work of the mentors
• Ability to supervise implementation of training activities and other group activities in close collaboration with the Cooperative Support Officer and the mentors to ensure especially that training is tailored to specific identified needs of beneficiaries.
• Ability to provide support to PCLD planning processes in the field and to the validation of beneficiaries of PCLD advisory services (incl. baselines and development of advice and training plans).

Ability to chair and facilitate mentor workshops, technical trainings, planning sessions, conferences and other events of the PCLD advisory services.

• Ability to provide advice and ideas on project implementation strategies as well as professional agricultural opinion to mentors and programme management team members.
• Ability to ensure dose coordination with PCLD Regional Program Coordinators.
• Ability to coordinate al operations of PCLD advisory services and ensure proper alignment of PCLD Result 4 activities undertaken by PCLD staff and mentors with DAPEES and DC DR activities.
• Ability to liaise and closely interact with key stakeholders at regional and constituency levels and promote their engagement with PCLD advisory services, namely DAPEES. DART, DVS, Meat Board of Namibia, Agribank’s Farmer Advisory Services. Traditional Authorities, Regional Councils, Constituency Councilors, mass media, NNFU, other farmer organizations, Meatco, Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry, etc. and maintain regular contact with these institutions.
• Ability to participate and support PCLD field planning processes, e.g. LLPP activities.
• Experience in preparing, drafting, and producing monthly, biannual and annual progress reports to supervisor.

Remuneration: NS418.733 per annum (total cost to company) which includes: the basic salary, medical aid, transport allowance, housing allowance and, Social Security. Other benefits include the 13th cheque / annual bonus, leave days.

Key Responsibilities:

• To assure overall management and delivery of quality agricultural advisory Services.
• To facilitate training, and mentoring activities by the PCLDs advisory services component in an efficient and effective manner according to the PCLD objectives and expectations.