Agriculture Officer Danish Refugee Council

Direct Supervisor: Project Manager
Project Location: Terekeka County, South Sudan with travel to Juba on occasion
Days and hours of working: Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm (8hrs a day, 40hrs per week), plus one hour for meal between 1.00pm and 2.00pm

Background
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been present in South Sudan since 2005 with operations in Central Equatoria, and as of January 2010, in Northern Bahr El Ghazal. The objective of the Danish Refugee Council’s South Sudan programme is “To support protection and provision of durable solutions on the basis of human rights and humanitarian principles for refugees, IDPs and people returning to South Sudan”

About the position
The Agriculture Officer is responsible for the implementation of Danish Refugee Council’s
(DRC’s) agriculture activities in Terekeka County of Central Equatoria State. He/she works in close collaboration with the Project Manager CHF to plan the work of the Team and then to implement the activities. He/she also works in collaboration with other DRC project staff, particularly with the Agricultural Team of the Danida and EC projects, to ensure that all agriculture programs are harmonized and fully incorporate protection considerations. His /her work takes a community-based approach while ensuring capacity development of CBO partners with open communication, meaningful participation and transparent decision-making vis-à-vis the project.

Working with other project staff, the Agriculture Officer assists in initial assessments and baseline survey work. Using these assessments as a guideline, assists the CBO in developing criteria for selection of beneficiaries and ensuring transparency in selection for Farm Field School participants. He/she plans and implements the agricultural activities which pertain the project both the emergency (seed and tools distribution) and the recovery (Farm Field School & Ox PlowingTraining) elements.

With the Project Manager CHF, the Agriculture Officer will actively engage the County and/or State level local agricultural department staff so they are aware of all DRC’s activities and take an active role in technical training of farmers, negotiation of land for demonstration plots etc . In addition, the Agriculture Officer is expected to proactively explore and develop suggestions for additional projects which would reinforce the interventions of this project.

The Agricultural Officer is the direct Supervisor of the Assistant Agriculture Officer and the 5 community based Agricultural Facilitators.

Main responsibilities and Duties
Overall
Help PM to develop detailed plans, work schedules, budgets to implement the required interventions. Interventions will include: seed and tool distribution, farmer field schools, drilling of 5 boreholes and construction of a County level seed storage unit.
Maintain a focus on ensuring interventions are sustainable and that the activities are aimed towards significant improvement in skills and knowledge of the participants including business skills training. Mobilize CBO membership and other beneficiaries to commit to active participation and responsibility for attending trainings.
Proactively share information within DRC, facilitate cross-sectoral cooperation and carry out all duties reflecting DRC’s mission statement and Core Values

Emergency Asset Distribution
Assist the Project Manager CHF, SSRRC and other stakeholders to plan and carry out assessment of new returnee and vulnerable local community farmers to identify beneficiaries
Participate in transparent seed & tool procurement, transport and distribution process

Farmer Field Schools
Establish 10 farmer field schools – one in each Payam of Terekeka County CES use experience from other DRC field offices in South Sudan but adapted to the conditions and circumstances in Terekeka, including assessing possibilities for introducing new vegetable varieties, identification of land for demonstration plots, liaison and collaboration agreements with local agricultural authorities for training farmers, selection of farmers, etc
Assist the Logistics Officer in specifications for procurement of inputs, take responsibility for ensuring control of program resources and assets
Develop with CBO/Communities criteria for the selection of participants in FFS . Guide and supervise the farmers groups in the establishment of demonstration plots. Facilitate the training by government agriculturalists or conduct the training directly.
Ensure adequate transparency and accountability for project assets/stocks in accordance with DRC accounts.
Guide and monitor the activities at the FFSs especially monitoring the improved capacity through changes in Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) before and after training and in the implementation of training material in farmers own fields.
Management and Reporting
Supervise the work of the Assistant Agriculture Officer & Facilitators
Submit weekly work plans to the Project Manager CHF for the Agriculture Team
Report verbally on a weekly basis re progress against workplan and prepare monthly written reports detailing field visits, meetings, discussions, trainings including KAP surveys before and after training and monitoring visits to see if farmers are implementing changes according to the training, obstacles encountered etc. and submit them to the Project Manager CHF
Keep Project Manager CHF informed of any challenges encountered that require additional efforts and/or may impact project delivery

Qualifications:
Must have completed minimally secondary school with training in agriculture at a recognized institution – practical experience may be accepted in lieu of formal education
Proven experience of at least 3 years in training farmers in modern farming techniques is essential while experience in vegetable production is an asset
Proven experience managing at least 3 junior staff
Proven experience in management, control and distribution of seeds, tools or other project materials is required
Computer skills in word and spreadsheets for report writing is essential
Proficiency in English required, local Terekeka language skills an asset

Note: the Agricultural Officer is expected to be based in Terekeka Town and beyond the salary and medical allowance no accommodation or other benefit is offered. Salary offered is adequate for living in the project operational area.

The duties and tasks above are given for indication and information purposes. The Danish Refugee Council has the right to update this Job Description according to the development of its Humanitarian Activities within its frame of intervention and in accordance with the Sudanese Labour Law.

Submission Deadline for Resumes is: April 8, 2011 at the DRC Office in Hai Malakal (in Danish Demining Group Office) Juba or by email to drc.ssudan@drc.dk