Context and background
The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to spread sustainable agricultural solutions for improved soil health, food security, and livelihoods around the world.
“Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth of Highland farming systems for rural Transformation”(BRIGHT) will target over 100,000 Ugandan highland households in Kigezi, Mt Elgon, and Rwenzori regions, building project interventions from the ground up that are based on the aspirations and needs of targeted farming households and communities. BRIGHT seeks to build the resilience capacity of farm households and the farming systems to recover from external shocks in an ever-changing context through absorption, adaptation, and transformation and, in so doing, increase incomes and food and nutritional security of all farmers, from subsistence-oriented farm households to more market-oriented ones.
The proposed project aims to achieve the following main impacts:
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- Increased resilience, nutritional outcomes, and income for smallholder farm households; and
- Increased eco-efficient farming, making sustainable use of and protecting natural resources
IFDC is seeking recruitment for Farmer Household and Farming Systems Field Officer for this project to be based in the main project office of Fort Portal(1), or the field offices of Kabale(1) and Mbale(1).
Position summary
The Farmer Household and Farming Systems Field Officer will be responsible for rolling out the inclusive decision-making and farm visioning and planning components of the project. He/she will train lead farmers and local implementing partners in the farm visioning and planning process including the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) approach, family tree, and trainings on community mobilization, conflict resolution, and collective action. He/she will also be responsible for guiding households in the development of integrated farm plans that have a farming systems focus in conjunction with other technical officers.
Main tasks and responsibilities
- Participate in the design of a training manual for inclusive household visioning and planning approach
- Conduct training of trainers for implementing partners, and lead farmers on the household visioning and planning approach
- Conduct the effective roll-out of household visioning and planning exercise ensuring that principals of participation, gender inclusion and adaptation are followed and approaches such as Gender Action Learning System (GALS) approach and family tree used
- Conduct roll out of trainings on community mobilization, conflict resolution, and collective action
- Support households on the development of integrated farm business plans with a farming systems focus
- Ensure that farm business plans are inclusive, have key objectives, outputs, and steps to be taken and are cognizant of crop and income diversification
- Work with Sustainable Land Management and crop production team to ensure integration of the farming systems approach with these other training components
Supervision and team collaboration
The Farmer Household and Farming Systems Field Officer is supervised by and reports to the Farmer Household and Farming Systems Lead. She/ he works in close collaboration with project colleagues, other IFDC staff and colleagues from other consortium members.
Position and duty station
The Farmer Household and Farming Systems Field Officer is a national position with a duty in the IFDC main project office in Fort Portal(1) Mbale(1) & Kabale(1) field offices.
The position requires intensive field travels (up to 90% of the time) in the target region in Uganda.
Required Skills
- Ability to work independently under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
- Act in accordance with and defend the best interests of IFDC
- Ability to work independently, under pressure to meet tight deadlines with quality output.
- Strong network in local and national communications and ability to find cost-effective means of promoting the projects achievements
- Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the achievement of goals.
- Consistently maintains focus and perseveres in the face of obstacles, inspiring others to do the same.
- Strong interpersonal and team working skills with ability to maintain effective work relationships
- Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, logically and effectively
- Anticipates key issues in work and identify creative and practical solutions.
- Great organizational skills and attention to detail in operationalization of administrative and finance tasks.
- Honors all commitments made to colleagues and partners.
- Have the ability to work in a multicultural environment, be open-minded and seek to understand
Required Experience
This position requires highly motivated and self-driven individuals with the following qualifications.
- Holds a degree in Agriculture, agribusiness, natural resource management or any other related course.
- Demonstrated experience (>3 years) in providing training and capacity building support to smallholder farmers on household visioning and planning, integrated farm planning and farming systems approaches.
- Demonstrated skills in effectively collaborating with local governments, research institutions, development partner projects, local organizations, private companies and other partners.
- Willingness to work in the field on a daily basis and travel on a motorcycle
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally in small audience and large audience settings.
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required, proficiency in multiple local languages is an asset.