Agronomy and Post-Harvest Specialist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Agronomy and Post-Harvest Specialist

Ref. No: IITA-HR-NRS2020-013
Location: Kano / Abuja
Recruitment Type: National (2-year renewable contract)

Details

• The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture on behalf of CIP seeks suitable Nigerian for the position below at the CIP project location in Kano / Abuja.
• As the Agronomy and Post-harvest specialist, you will be responsible for popularizing improved varieties amongst farmers and enhancing utilization of OFSP in consumers towards meeting the production, processing and nutritional outcomes of the project.
• You will report to the Development and Delivery Of Biofortified Crops At Scale Program (DDBIO) Country Coordinator for Nigeria.

Duties

• Learn the project proposal to fully understand and internalize the entire project mission and be ready to contribute in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.
• Under the guidance of your supervisors develop a detailed work plan for yourself and diligently implement it to achieve the set goals and targets by identifying, enrolling, handholding and monitoring suitable project partners for various activities in the OFSP value chain
• As part of the team, identify, enroll, handhold, enable and monitor suitable partners for OFSP vine production of improved varieties.
• Plan and implement sustainable approaches for maintenance, production and distribution of OSFP clean planting materials of improved varieties.
• Plan, design and implement agricultural field activities that will contribute to improved production of OFSP roots in the targeted areas
• Appraise farm-level sweet potato production constraints; design and implement effective farmer-participatory demonstrations with extension officers to address these constraints
• Collect, process and analyze data from scientific and farmer participatory research experiments and write pertinent technical reports
• Maintain a local data base for agricultural field research studies from designated project intervention areas
• Participate in diagnostic and other relevant socio-economic studies as member of a multi-disciplinary project team
• Organize roots producers into contract root suppliers and link them to puree processing factories
• Contribute to training of extension officers, staff from participatory NGO partners, private enterprises and farmers in the project intervention districts in pertinent skills in sweet potato vine and root production and processing value chains
• Participate in identification and promotion of improved technologies for handling, storage and processing of sweet potato roots
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with government extension service, research stations, NGO partners, and farmer groups
• Be entrepreneurial and proactive in identifying new opportunities, partners and strategies towards enhancing the overall project deliverables towards meeting the organization and donor expectations
• Work effectively in the project team to develop a collegial, mutually supportive and high-performance work atmosphere
• Proactively always take responsibility to ensure safety of humans and property while implementing the project activities in timely manner in keeping with the budget allocated
• Carry out any other duties as assigned by the Country Team Leader or senior members of the organizations.

Qualification

• MSc in Agronomy, Crop Production or related discipline with minimum of five (5) years’ related experience in a related role in an agricultural research organization or equivalent experience is desired.

Competencies:

• Good knowledge, skills, and abilities to drive agro-ecological resilience, market development, improved nutrition, gender equity, and social and behavioral change.
• Be honest, hardworking and have ability to work under pressure.

Remuneration
We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

Application Closing Date
5th May, 2020.