Technical Specialist Component 2: Building a Vibrant Sector for Soil Inputs – TRANSFORM

Location:   Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Deadline: May 31, 2025

Job Description

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international organization active in 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live.  

Position Summary

The Technical Specialist for TRANSFORM Program Component 2 will implement and monitor on-the-ground activities to Building a Vibrant Sector for Soil Inputs. This involves supporting the development and promotion of various soil inputs by improving technical advice from distributors and retailers. The specialist will work closely with public and private stakeholders to facilitate local production, strengthen distribution, and build capacity for the promotion and use of appropriate soil inputs among small-scale producers. The specialist will also guide and facilitate improving customized extension services working with Regional Bureau of Agriculture (RBoA) from zone, woreda to kebele levels to empower farmers and to adopt participatory bottom-up soil health and fertility and contributing to private sector lead extension efforts.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate the development of a vibrant soil input sector in the TRANSFORM Program;
• Provide technical and business development support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including business case development, marketing strategies, and navigating regulatory processes, while also promoting nutrient recycling initiatives;
• Strengthen and expand the soil input distribution network by establishing linkages between manufacturers and existing public and private channels to improve access for small-scale producers in kebeles;
• Facilitate connections between local input producers and financial institutions, explore co-financing options, and provide technical support to entrepreneurs in addressing regulatory challenges;
• Facilitate and provide Training of Trainers (ToT) for woreda experts, Development Agents (DAs), agro-dealers, primary cooperatives, and watershed associations, collaborating with the component lead and consortium partners to advise and train small-scale producers on the appropriate use of soil inputs;
• Organize and facilitate demonstrations, field days, and training events at Farmer Training Centers (FTCs) to promote the effective use of soil inputs;
• Work closely with Component 2 lead to develop and implement work plans and activities;
• Collaborate with other Technical Specialists within the TRANSFORM program to ensure integrated approaches;
• Monitor and evaluate field activities to ensure objectives are met and provide technical advice to field staff as necessary;
• Document lessons learned, best practices, and share insights with stakeholders to inform future programming and policy development;
• Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for effective communication;
• Promote and oversee the implementation of the Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) approach to enhance community engagement, ownership, and co-learning;
• Promote increased involvement of small-scale producers in action research;
• Implement necessary tasks for the program success and additional assignments from the immediate supervisor;
• Facilitate long-term, community-driven changes in soil health, and natural resources management contributing to the broader goals of the TRANSFORM program by empowering stakeholders at all levels to embrace sustainable agricultural practices.

Requirements

• MSc in soil science, agronomy, natural resources management, agri-business, rural development, extension science, with proven experience in working with private sector in the national extension system;
• At least 7 years of experience in successfully implementing/leading the management of soil health and fertility, natural resource management focused projects (multi-year programs), on soil health and fertility extension; developing last mile input distribution systems and research, agribusiness development with involvement of private sector focused contributing to agriculture development;
• Good understanding of the role of the private sector in the national extension system, barriers of the private sector in soil health extension system, role of the private sector in soil research, with options to work with private sector extension program;
• Demonstrated ability in concepts, principles, and approaches around bottom-up and purely participatory methods in farmer engagement; PPP model, ISFM; role of private actors in fertilizer blending and fertilizer distribution systems; fertilizer extension and enabling environment;
• Excellent skills in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint; proficiency in MS Access preferred and Knowledge of other statistical packages like SPSS, STATA has an added advantage;
• English language fluency is required;
• Must be a self-directed, highly organized person who can effectively prioritize and follow through on multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Reporting and Work Relationships

The Technical Specialist will report to Component 1 lead for technical issues.

Location 

This is a national recruitment with a duty station in the IFDC and/or one of the consortium partner offices based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent travel to all program sites.  

Benefits 

IFDC’s benefits include annual and sick leave, health and group life insurance coverage, a 13th month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws and end-of-contract benefits.

Salary grade 

The salary grade for this position is BG 8 and the pegged salary is the local equivalent of USD 1,557 gross per month.  

The determination of new employee salaries takes into account various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate’s qualifications in relation to the job’s responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.  

About Program (TRANSFORM)

IFDC along with its consortium partners Stichting Wageningen Research- Wageningen Environmental Research (SWR-WENR), World Soil Information (ISRIC), and national partners Environment and Coffee Forest Forum (ECFF) and SOS Sahel Ethiopia, is supporting the Government of Ethiopia through the TRANSFORM Project. The TRANSFORM Project aims to enhance soil health and fertility management in Ethiopia through four main components.

First, it focuses on customizing extension services to tailor soil fertility initiatives to the specific needs of farmer households and communities. Second, the project seeks to develop a vibrant soil input sector by improving the availability of quality organic fertilizers for small-scale farmers. Third, it emphasizes strengthening the linkages between research and practical application through farmer-led action research. Finally, the project fosters an enabling environment for soil health by promoting collaboration among soil sector stakeholders, thereby enhancing soil fertility management at both national and regional levels.

The program targets the sustainable increase in productivity of 100,000 small-scale food producers and the improved use of 65,000 hectares of farmland in the Amhara, Oromia, and Central Ethiopia Regional States by 2028. TRANSFORM also models a process for replication and scaling of soil health and fertility management nationally, focusing on elements of extension, research, private input supply, and creating an enabling environment. The project intentionally targets at least 30% women and 30% youth participation in all activities by implementing focused outreach strategies and affirmative actions. 

 

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