Cooperative Supportive Officer – MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND LAND REFORM

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, WATER AND LAND REFORM
Directorate of Resettlement and Regional Programme Implementation
Programme for Communal Land Development (PCLD)
lx Cooperative Supportive Officer (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’s Degree in Agriculture. Economics. Rural Development plusat least 6 years of professional experience in advising/training of commercial and emerging commercial farmers. Practical knowledge of product ion-oriented farming, preferably (but not necessarily) having been a fanner him-/herself. with good practical farming skills.

Profound understanding of commercial agricultural farming 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 work 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 skills is an added advantage

Namibian citizen

Key responsibilities:

• Lead implementation of the cooperative development programme activities in the PCLD undertaken by the Result 4 team including mentors and to coordinate mentor activities in relation to the PCLD’s cooperative development objectives.
• Facilitate the implementation of co-operative democratic organisational principles and practices controlled by members who actively participate in decision making processes guided by their by-laws, the Co-operative Act No. 23 of 1996 and the Namibia Co-operative Policy.
• Build co-operative capacity and skills through training and mentorship of the members, elected board members, managers

and employees so that they can contribute effectively and sustainably to the development of their co-operatives in terms of voluntary association principles and through promoting business enterprises.

• Support the cooperatives to compile and own their business and strategic plans.
• To assist cooperatives in the management, maintenance and repair infrastructures and assets.
• Support the setting up of a co-operative operation structure at the co-operative level.
• Provide support to co-operatives to conduct business enterprises, increase market share and gradually improve the livelihoods of their members.
• Support the co-operatives to development work programmes and assist in the development and monitoring of these.
• Identify and build strategic linkages as well as liaise with partners and other stakeholders in the implementation of co- operative activities .ensuring that such activities are coordinated and are in line with the Division of Co-operative Development and Regulation (M AWLR) guidelines and other gcvernment interventions to ensure sustainability and avoid duplication.
• To coordinate and liaise with PCLD Regional Coordinators. Technical Advisor and other team members regarding cooperative affairs and business to ensure smooth interface between business and technical agriculture and production activities.
• Facilitate the capacitation of women and youth members of the co-operative to participate in co-operative activities.
• Effectively document information related to co-operatives best practices lesson learned.
• Other duties to be assigned to support the projects and/ or the work of work of PCLD

Remuneration: NS 468.511.92 per annum (total cost to company) which includes: the basic salary, medical aid. transport allowance, housing allowance and. Social Security. Other benefits include the 13* cheque / annual bonus, leave days.