Cropping Systems Agronomist - CSISA-Nepal

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) - Cropping Systems Agronomist (N12492) 

 The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Nepal (CSISA-NP) is a three-year initiative led by CIMMYT and funded by USAID to improve food security in sixteen mid-hill and Terai districts in the Far Western and Middle Western development zones of Nepal. The project’s technical priorities for rice, lentil, and maize aim to address key production challenges to achieve sustainably intensified production systems. CSISA-NP endeavors to strengthen the seed sector in focus districts, increase exposure and uptake of demand-appropriate small-scale machinery, and increase the availability of locally-adapted crop and resource management technologies as well as the capacity for partners to bring these innovations to farmers. Project activities include an explicit focus on appropriate technologies for women farmers, and are managed and staged from Adaptive Research and Training Centers (ARTCs).

Duty location: Achham district, Far-Western development zone of Nepal

Responsibilities:

• Conduct periodic needs analysis for target region via field visits
•  Assist in developing and conducting surveys, participatory appraisals, market chain analysis, and mapping institutional landscape
• Coordinate and conduct on-station and on-farm research as well as farmer participatory trials and performance assessments on seed, management, and mechanization interventions, ensuring active participation from women farmers throughout the life of the project
• In consultation with objective leads and key personnel, set up, coordinate, and manage a network of on-farm omission and sufficiency plots designed to lead to efficient fertility management strategies and decision tools
• Catalyze and support sustainable partnerships among multiple public and private sector entities in the seed, management and mechanization sectors, engaging and interacting regularly with potential partners throughout the appropriate value chains
• Maintain communication channels, provide support to, and participate in multi-stakeholder agriculture innovation platforms to enable the discussion and resolution of cross cutting issues, and promote knowledge sharing regarding resources, tools, and management
• Assist in developing enduring training material, and conduct in-field demonstrations, field days, and farmer trainings on seed (including production, processing, packaging, branding, and marketing), best management, mechanization and related technology issues
• Assist in monitoring and evaluation and statistical analysis and reporting efforts by providing quality input and reports in a timely manner (every 2-3 months as indicated by project lead)
• Follow best practices in data collection, and in organizing, managing, storing, and archiving data in accordance with project and CIMMYT norms; ensure that clean, good quality, clearly labeled data sets and information (docs, photos, videos etc) are sent or made available in electronic form every month to the project lead
• Follow prescribed communication norms, using agreed-upon tools (email, wikis, blogs, websites etc) regularly and effectively, and responding promptly to questions and concerns
• Coordinate and assist in efforts to conduct trainings with farmers and a variety of stakeholders, raise awareness aboutprojectactivities,products, and outcomesamong stakeholders, policymakers, and thegeneralpublic, project-relatedcommunications and outputs, includingnews and updates, photos and videos
•  Assist ARTC managers with budget, staff management, and other activities as appropriate
• Report to ARTC manager, with additional oversight by objective and project leads

 Required qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in crop production, soil science, agronomy, or other agriculture-related discipline
• Demonstrated experience with agronomic concepts and measurements, and in thinking critically about agricultural interventions appropriate for different scenarios and circumstances, setting up and conducting trials on-station and on-farm, and monitoring, measuring them
• Demonstrated experience with farmer mobilization, participatory research in the seed sector, and/or with soil, crop, and water management with resource-conserving technologies in Nepal
• Good understanding of conservation agriculture practices and scale-appropriate machinery, and demonstrated ability to find innovative solutions to problems encountered in the field
• Experience developing training materials and conducting trainings, field demonstrations etc
• Expertise with agricultural machinery a plus
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, experience working and interacting effectively with a variety of stakeholders (field assistants, farmers, extension workers, public and private sector entities), and demonstrated ability to collaborate well across disciplines and institutions
• Experience in and willingness to commit to a long-term stay in remote locations
• Willingness and aptitude to follow project and institutional data management and communication guidelines; experience and good abilities in statistical analysis
• Fluent English and Nepali (written and spoken); knowledge of Achhami a plus

NOTE: Applicants should submit a letter of interest and CV including email and phone together with names and contact information of 2-3 references by e-mail to nrsrecruitment@cgiar.org by September 25, 2013. Please include the reference number (N12492) in the subject line of your email; emails without a reference number will not be considered.

Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview to Kathmandu’s CIMMYT-SARO office shortly after the application deadline. Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Phone calls will not be entertained. Any attempt to influence the selection process shall form the basis for disqualification of the candidacy.

CIMMYT is an equal- opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and ethnicity. Women and candidates from minority communities are encouraged to apply.