.   Job Summary

The purpose of Agricultural Production Officer is to lead the implementation of agricultural production-related activities to address the needs and priorities of DFAP targeted households that are food insecure. S/he provides capacity building and technical assistance related to agricultural production and diversification under the project: “Strengthen PSNP 4 Institutions and Resilience” for affected communities, partner organizations, and key stakeholders. The incumbent is also responsible to document and share good practices within the organization, stakeholders and its partners. Furthermore, the position holder will assist in refining the programme design and implementation of all components of the project related to agricultural production and diversification in the target communities.

The Agricultural Production Officer will act as the key technical support person supporting the implementation and accomplishment of all Agricultural Production activities to the DFAP program in the DFAP Zone and woredas with supervision and direction from the Project Manager. Sh/e will also be responsible for capacity-building of field staff and government partners using relevant tools and technical approach. S/he will work closely with and support the woreda team leaders, as well as other field-based technical advisors, to ensure agricultural production activities are implemented in a coordinated and harmonized manner.

The key activities under this component of the DFAP program are as follows:

·       Increased crop and livestock productivity and diversity

·       Facilitate increased knowledge and adoption of climate smart ag techniques and technologies

·       Promote improved storage and postharvest technology

·       Promote improved fodder management and feeding practices

·       Promote start of semi-intensive poultry production

·       Link livestock producers to public and private animal health services

·       Facilitate farmers engagement in market-driven ag production

·       Facilitate adoption of home gardening of nutritious food

·       Promote improved seed multiplication through community seed systems and model farmers

The Agricultural Production Officer will work closely with other program staff to ensure program quality and impact in line with the goals and objectives of the program. There are 2 positions available, one based in East Hararghe and one based in West Hararghe.

II. Responsibilities and Key Result Areas

1.  Provide Technical Assistance/ Program planning and implementation (35%)

Provide quality support to communities on the following components of Agricultural Production:

• Lead in the implementation of agricultural production initiatives in the target woredas;

• Assist in the development of a detailed implementation plan (DIP) for the agricultural production activities;
• Support local capacity building initiatives in agricultural production and diversification at woreda and kebele levels;

§  Enhance the agricultural productive capacity and production income of targeted poor smallholder farmers to promote resilience and food security;

§  Enhance use of essential inputs (seeds, fertilizers, farm tools, etc.) to promote agricultural recovery activities of very poor households (including female headed);

§  Enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers to manage their own seed stock;

§  Support for agricultural diversification practices, including the promotion of vegetable, fruit, poultry, bee, and dairy production;

§  Promotion of innovative farming techniques, including agro-forestry and other measures, that increase soil fertility and raise agricultural productivity;

§  Strengthen home gardens in target communities, as a way to address long-term nutrition security challenges;

§  Build institutional capacity, including Development Agents and woreda technical experts, on Agricultural Natural Resource Management (NRM) and soil and water conservation.

§  Coordinate and support the development of implementation strategies, methods and guidelines for sustainable agricultural diversification interventions;

§  Ensure measureable impact of agricultural production-related activities and a robust M&E system is in place;

§  Monitor progress and provide ongoing feedback and recommendations to the project management;

• Advise and ensure program initiatives are consistent with sustainable development principles.

2.  Capacity Building and Technical Support (20%)

§  Continuously updates partners on agricultural production issues to enhance and sustain conceptual clarity and awareness of partners and others’ best practices;

§  Works with the relevant government structures to facilitate agricultural production-related activities and monitoring in the operational areas;

§  Documents and shares lessons/results of agricultural diversification work and strategies in program operational areas;

§  Advises and helps promote appropriate community awareness strategies around agricultural production and diversification;

§  Actively participate in the capacity needs assessment and development of strategies related to agricultural diversification;

§  Facilitate and organize implementation of capacity building initiatives on agricultural diversification;

§  Participate and represent the project in various agricultural production forums at various levels (region, woreda, kebele);  

§  Work with Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation, PQL and other relevant units to ensure quality programming and Monitoring and Evaluations systems related to agricultural production and diversification are in place.

3.  Partnership and Networking (15%)

§  Ensure CARE’s input into agricultural production and diversification with government counterparts in the target woredas/kebeles/communities;

§  Represent CARE Ethiopia at all key government and inter-agency agricultural diversification-related forums as appropriate;

§  Establish and maintain productive relationships with partner organizations working with CARE;

§  Develop and maintain productive relationships with other NGOs and UN agencies working on agricultural diversification in the target woredas;

§  Work to progressively improve CARE’s engagement in agricultural production;

• Actively participate in agricultural diversification forums to facilitate learning and scaling up of agricultural production good practices; and

§  Establish and maintain productive relationships with all levels of government offices, stakeholders and partners.

4.  Learning, Documentation and Sharing (15%)

• Identify/extract good practices and learning related to agricultural production interventions for further program quality improvement;
• Record and document lessons from program processes and achievements;
• Share good practices and learning with CARE staff, stakeholders and partners;
• Identify partners with good and relevant practices for potential experience sharing;
• Prepare and maintain up to date information on the agricultural production situation in each operational area;
• Prepare reports as deemed necessary.

5.  Leadership and Representation (10%)

§  Contribute to transparent and participatory management and decision making;

§  Actively participate and support programmatic coordination and synergy;

§  Contribute to healthy work environment;

§  Promote transparent and accountable system;

§  Participate in project management meetings and be a team player and team builder;

§  Represent project/CARE and contribute on agricultural production related forums and discussions at different levels;

§  Exhibit model behaviors consistent with principles, values, vision and mission of the organization;

§  Identify and promote learning and lessons for scale up of good practices;

§  Bring issues and feedback to the attention of the project management;

§  Implement decisions made by the project management.

6:  Perform other duties as assigned.

% of Time:  5%