Crop and Livestock Officer (Woreda level) – 2 Positions | Oromia, Ethiopia

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION Farm Africa, founded in 1985, is an international non-governmental organization working in Ethiopia since 1988. We drive agricultural and environmental change to improve lives. Our strategy has three pillars: agricultural expertise, management and preservation of ecosystems, and the power of business to drive prosperity. We believe Africa has the power to feed itself and are helping make this happen by establishing and spreading the best farming and forestry techniques so that poor farmers and herders have more food to feed their families and to sell. We help smallholders manage their natural resources sustainably so that they can withstand climate change challenges and shocks and ensure their families have enough food in the future as well as now. Farm Africa works in partnership with communities, government, local and international organizations, and the private sector to innovate, learn and share best practices for maximum impact of our projects.

JOB TITLE: Crop and Livestock Officer (Woreda level) #2

REPORTS TO: Field Co-ordinator for SHARE II Bale Eco-Region

REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None

LOCATION: Bale( Mada Walabu and Goro Woredas)

DURATION & HOURS: July to December 2023 with probation period of 60 working days

BACKGROUND

Farm Africa is implementing a large number of projects/programmes in the areas of agriculture (crop and livestock), natural resources management and market engagement across Ethiopia. We are increasingly designing and implementing complex and integrated multi-sector projects, some by ourselves and some others in partnership with like-minded organisations in the form of consortium

Farm Africa, in partnership with SoS Sahel-Ethiopia, FZS, PHE-EC and IWMI, has secured funding from the EU to implement an integrated multi-sector landscape management programme in Bale Eco-Region in Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia. The programme is a follow up of an earlier project called SHARE Bale Eco-Region that employed an ecoregional approach to integrate and coordinator activities across sectors and actors so as to minimize trade-offs and maximize synergies across sectors and ecosystems at various altitudinal gradients, while ensuring a sustainable use and management of environmental resources for socio-economic development in the project intervention areas as a pilot in seven woredas in the Bale Eco Region. The project will work across 16 woredas located in two zones, namely Bale and West Arsi. Farm Africa is seeking to recruit a dynamic and experienced person as a Crop & Livestock Expert.

This Expert will be based inside a woreda office working side by side with government experts to implement the BER framework across identified woredas.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The overall responsibility of the position holder is to coordinate planning and execution of climate resilient agricultural/livelihood (crop & livelihood) related activities of the project. He/she will be specifically responsible in planning, execution of capacity building trainings, facilitate input supply, organize farmers groups, support VSLAs with technical advice, and provide technical support to government counterparts.

He/she ensures that communities are engaged in improved high value crop and livestock production, processing and marketing. In coordination with the project coordinator, he/she will ensure good partnership with government stakeholders, community members, CBOs, consortium partners, CSOs, private sectors and other relevant partners in the operational areas of the SHARE II project.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONISBILITES

Key areas of responsibilities are:

 

1.        Ensure timely project implementation at Woreda level

• Work with the project team and government counterparts to achieve the project outputs/outcomes at his/her specific cluster
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of Woreda and village/community level stakeholders ensuring active participation of women in particular.
• Facilitate identification of training needs, prepare training materials, and deliver training, business plan development and other services to CBOs and unions
• Conduct other duties as may be assigned by the Project Field Coordinator

2.        Bring technical expertise to ensure high quality project delivery

• Take part in the assessments and surveys of crop and livestock related activities used for project planning and management
• Provide market linkages by working closely with market/cooperative experts across the woredas
• Promote Climate-smart agriculture such as agroforestry woredas and improve agricultural practices and diversification where appropriate/within context;
• Sustainable livestock management: Development of sustainable community water management system for livestock and livestock productivity improvement (including forage development)
• Small business group development: Beekeeping and honey production development, Women milk processing cooperatives, Goat husbandry cooperatives, Gum and resin production cooperatives, Livestock trading support, Business and product development training, Vegetable crops production support, Fruit trees development support, Establishing livestock marketing system, Support for community ecotourism development
• Facilitate the planning, implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation of crop and livestock activities
• Provide expertise and advice for community institutions on gender mainstreaming in project scheme
• Identify and promote innovative livelihood programming approaches and interventions to achieve project objectives, and suited to the particular conditions and needs of diverse client groups in the operational areas;
• Assess and monitor all services in terms of rate of return, unit costs, cost efficiency other relevant economic and financial methods and standard agricultural economics.

3.        Facilitate and coordinate community/institutional capacity building activities

• Provide technical support to Woreda level technical staff and government staff
• Organizes and coordinates capacity building trainings and workshop for beneficiaries, consortium partners, CBOs, private sectors on the improved agronomic and livestock practices and support.

4.        Contribute to project management and reporting

• Participate in assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of the project activities.
• Prepare and develop status reports as required by management.
• Ensure proper recording and documentation of best practices and success stories
• Ensure that the project implemented according to original plan and project proposal.
• Monitor and document the project progress, lessons, good experience and impact with rural communities.

5.        Play an active role as a member of the Farm Africa Project team

• Identify and explore opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee it’s sustainability
• Identify and explore opportunities to grow and expand the country project pipeline, both in relation to the current project (e.g., potential scale-up opportunities, replication in other geographies/regions) or related to new project opportunities
• Pro-actively share information with other project and Farm Africa staff members to support Farm Africa’s aims
• Participate in broader Farm Africa meetings with other project staff members, as requested by line manager.

6.        Additional roles and responsibilities

• Participate in monthly activity and budget plan session which is commonly facilitated by the field project coordination unit
• Provide a strong support to internal digital monitoring system of Farm Africa
• Support an implementation of other Farm Afrika’s project in the area which might be funded by different donors

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job-related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential	Desirable
Education, Qualifications & other knowledge
BSC/MSc in Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics, Plant Sciences, General Agriculture, Livestock /Animal science and other related disciplines.	Training on agricultural extension system
Knowledge of the Agricultural development policy in Ethiopia	Knowledge of the crop/livestock development
Knowledge of gender and social inclusiveness
Experience
Minimum of 4 years’ experience in livelihood, crop and livestock development	Previous NGO work experience in agricultural (crop & livestock development)
Practical experience of working on agricultural extension, crop and livestock development areas
Experience of project planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation
Experience working in the area of value chain and economic strengthening of rural community
Skills & Abilities
Very good English language skills (written and spoken)	Knowledge of local language is advantageous
Motor cycle driving skill
Computer literacy, excellent record keeping and report writing
Strong communication and interpersonal skills	,.
Good team building skills and the ability to work in a multi partner approach
Budget and financial management, training need assessment and training facilitation
Willingness to reside in rural/marginal areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of Farm Africa
Good community level facilitation and coordination skills

 

Our VALUES PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

EXPERT. Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.

GROUNDED. Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.

IMPACTFUL. We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and their families.

BOLD. We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.