Agriculture Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world's leading crisis response agencies, providing life-saving assistance and supporting recovery and reconstruction for people hit by war and natural disasters globally. Active in public health, education, livelihoods, women's empowerment, youth development, and protection and promotion of legal rights for the vulnerable and displaced, IRC aims to accompany people on their journey from harm to home

Scope of Work:

The Agriculture Officer is responsible for ensuring timely and quality implementation of the kitchen gardening activities within the OFDA funded project. The position is  also  responsible for ensuring that  the  implementation  strategies  and  approaches used  are  appropriate and cost efficient in increasing horticultural  production and productivity to improve household food security

Responsibilities:

• Developing detailed activity plans in line with program objectives, ensuring that those plans are implemented and any expected delays and/or modifications are communicated and raised in a timely manner with line Manager.
• Sensitize key stakeholders - Government and I/NGOs - working in target districts, and, communities about the project concept, benefits, targeting criteria, implementation strategies and modalities, monitoring and other such aspects.
• Identifying/selecting target communities and beneficiaries, as per agreed criteria and, in sensitizing them about the interventions and benefits.
• Support an analysis on input availability in program area and contracting of either local or international input providers for seeds and tools
• Work closely with ERD coordinator in developing training manual and identify the trainers for kitchen gardening/agriculture related trainings including seedling preparation, land preparation & soil fertility, planting, integrated pest and disease management, water management and nutrition sensitive harvesting and post-harvest practices. Arrange training sessions for selected households before delivery of seeds and inputs.
• Work closely with supply chain department to ensure in time delivery of quality seeds and tools to selected households. Upon training to beneficiaries, ensure supply of seeds and tools, distribution and extend technical support to establish their gardens.
• Developing of program related documents, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for kitchen gardening.
• Responsible for regular follow up session to households for on spot guidance and disease control methods.
• Respond to / address questions arising from M&E team regarding the program activities and Participate in the project M&E events such as mid-term & end of project evaluation.
• Submit weekly, monthly and comprehensive quarterly reports on implementation of planned kitchen gardening to the supervisor. 

Coordination & Representation:

• Maintain respectful and constructive relations with partner organizations, local authorities and humanitarian actors.
• Attend field level meetings when required and providing detailed reports to the line Manager if necessary.
• Close coordination with Food Security & Agriculture (FSAC) cluster.
• Close coordination with Agriculture department for joint monitoring visit.

Other duties:

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable implementation of the IRC programs.
• Raise Purchase requests as and when required.
• Work constructively within the team and take initiative on new tasks.
• Promptly report concerns or incidents to the IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for the ERD program.
• Coordinate with the M&E staff and the wider ERD team as necessary to identify program quality issues.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.