Sorghum Agronomist

Under the overall guidance of the Project Manager, the Sorghum Agronomist, will be responsible on the project providing technical insights and advisory services on products and interventions to Aggregation Businesses (ABs) and Commercial Farmers (CFs) on the project. The Advisor will give input to the Project Manager and project partners to achieve the agreed objectives and realise successful interventions. The Advisor identifies opportunities and areas for improvement, to ensure quality delivery.

Duties & Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the Agronomy Advisor will include the following:

• Oversee the effective implementation of the project plan to increase sorghum production among smallholders and commercial farmers across the project districts in the Upper East and North East regions. This includes but not limited to the following:
• Pre-planting: Oversee farmer group formation, farmer access to credit, access to input suppliers, farm management services etc.
• Land Preparation and planting: support farmers in production planning around cropping cycle including identifying problems and setting priorities, access to quality seed and other inputs, land preparation, spacing.
• Growing and: educate farmers on soil fertility and moisture management, pests and weeds control methods in regenerative agricultural practices,
• Harvesting; support facilitation of preharvest meetings, farmer sensitisation on pricing agreements, grain quality standards and postharvest lost prevention measures.
• Strengthen farmer loyalty towards GGBL sorghum grain sourcing.

Key Activities:

Advisory Services

Acts as technical expert for the Project Manager and aims to create an enabling environment (by sharing knowledge, understanding stakeholders and environment) for the implementation of the project, to meet its objectives. Ensures, monitors progress and review quality of own expertise and ensures client support and satisfaction during project implementation.

Knowledge Development

Contributes to internal and external knowledge development,

ensures lessons learned are shared and applied in daily practice and may be appointed as (national) focal point of an expertise network. Initiates/coordinates the review process and evaluation of advisory services in order to collect lessons learned, proposes corrective measures and ensures identification of follow up assignments. Participates in knowledge development/expertise groups and in internal and external networks.

Project and Process Development

Identifies and proposes technical process improvements to the project team. Acts on improvement areas within the local internal organisation and processes and gives feedback. Ensures lessons learned are applied in daily practice.

People Management

Steers (functionally) colleagues and coaches associated partners/external stakeholders on quality within the context of assignments. Acts as a technical expert in the content area, applies process improvements in projects and coaches colleagues and associated partners both professionally and operationally on quality context within projects.