Agriculture Officer (AO)

Value Chain of Fruit and Vegetable Development Project (VCDP)

Job Title: Agriculture Officer (AO)

Project: Value Chain  Development of  Fruit and Vegetables Project (VCDP)

Duty station: One of the Project working Palika(as follows) with frequent travel to other Palikas.

Report to: Technology Extension Specialist (TES)

Job purpose: The Agriculture Development Officer is responsible for technical support to clusters of palikas (4-7 palikas) in establishing and strengthening agriculture service system at local level. S/He plays lead role in facilitating local level for formulating local policies, guideline, sectoral annual and periodic plans and their implementation, capacity needs assessments of local service providers and farmer organizations and establish their partnership with local level for pluralistic agriculture service provisions. S/He is responsible for strengthening local level stakeholder relations, collaboration, and fund flow management.  S/He supports cooperatives and market actors. S/He supports the line manager and other team members in administrative and project management activities.

Management Arrangements:

The Agriculture Coordinator will work under the guidance and supervision of Technology Extension Specialist. S/he will work in close collaboration with UNDP Nepal office, government partners, the donor and other stakeholders.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Implementation of Policies, Guidelines and Manuals

• Adhere to relevant policies, procedures, regulations, and guidelines of GoN/UNDP (NIMS guideline Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Guide; Sexual Harassment & Mobbing Policy; Code of Conduct Against Corruption etc.) and other specific policies applicable for the VCDP, MoALD/UNDP
• Adhere to the policies and rules of the Government of Nepal that are related to programme

2. Programme Development and Implementation:

• Facilitation local level government in formulating local level policies, strategies, guidelines, standards related to agriculture sector, 
• Facilitate local level in establishment and strengthening EDC/Agriculture Development Committee (ADC)for effective coordination, inclusiveness, and accountable service provision.
• Facilitate to formulate the institutional mechanism for operationalize pluralistic agriculture services as per the policies, guidelines and need of the local level,
• Support/facilitate in capacity building of the committee members, sectoral staff, Cooperatives, Local Agriculture Resource Persons (LARP) and other plural actors for institutionalizing pluralistic agriculture service provision at local level,
• Responsible for supporting local level for identification and targeting disadvantaged  households/beneficiaries and their empowerment
• Coach and support Palikas agriculture technicians, cooperatives,and other local service providers at local level,
• Facilitate jointaction, cooperation and coordination with other Government and UNDP supported Projects in the palika for synergy
• Supportline manager and other team members in programme implementation as required

3. Programme Planning, Monitoring andReporting

• Support Local level in developing their consolidated annual agriculture plan, sectoral plans in a participatory and inclusive manner, including their business plans related to entrepreneurship development for specially focusing on youth, women, migrant returnees 
• Support Agriculture, and Livestock Section of the local level for implementation of annual plan, establishment of farms, agriculture enterprising, pocket area development, value chain development activities,
• Support/facilitate local level in establishing monitoring mechanism and system and periodic monitoring and reporting of programme implementation
• Support local level in developing monitoring tools, forms, templates as per their requirement,
• Assist the Local level in developing a robust monitoring system, with a database disaggregated by e.g. sex, social group, and reporting schedule to ensure the regular monitoring of activities and results (outputs and outcomes),
• Ensure and support for timely producing and reporting from the local levels to concerned stakeholders.
• FacilitateincreasingsensitivityofserviceprovidersinGESIandAnti-corruption guidelines and follow up of their commitments
• Facilitate local level to conduct/organize periodic review and reflection meetings/workshops with stakeholders and service Providers
• Document the project processes, case stories,  lesson learned, and best practices

4. Representation and Networking

• Closely liaise with local level, Agriculture Knowledge Center, non-government service providers in strengthening pluralistic agriculture extension system,
• Facilitate local level government in planning process are in full coherence with the overall planning, monitoring and reporting system, structures and capacity building of the local level,
• Maintain good relationship and liaise with the UNDP in-house projects,  government and other donor  supported projects
• be proactive in communication and sharing of local level matters (operational, security, Programme updates etc.) with the State as appropriate as indicated in the communication channel.
• Represent palika team where appropriate and share project concepts and achievements

5. Other specific responsibilities

• Professional handling of the assignments and tasks dispensed by Technical Specialist of VCDP
• Be proactive in bringing innovations and take new initiatives into the programme

Job Requirements

A. Minimum Education Attainment: Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture (B.Sc. Ag.)

B. Minimum Professional Experience: Minimum of four years of working experience in agriculture extension and research. A Masters degree will be an advantage

c. Required Competence:

• Good understanding and knowledge of extension and research in agriculture
• Ability to collect and analyses data, plan and reporting
• Strong communication and facilitation skills
• Experience in working with local government,Palika institutions and development organizations
• Sensitivitytowardsissuesrelated to gender equality, social inclusion and poverty reduction
• Responsive, flexible, and energetic
• Ability to work in diversified context
• Good computer skills in MS office
• Good in English and Nepali languages

Consultancy fee, benefits and payments 

• The candidates will be selected on the basis of technical and financial evaluation. ( Based on CV and financial proposal submitted by the candidates) ( Financial proposal should include monthly fee of maximum of NPR 75,000. 15% TDS will be deducted as the candidate will be hired as a consultant.
• Monthly payment will be done after receiving monthly report. 
• To cover the food, accommodation and travel expenses in the field, a consultant is eligible to claim DSA at rate of Rs 2500/day. There should be clear and specific field travel plan duly approved by supervisor and DSA of the month will be reimbursed after submission of the progress report, Actual transportation expense will be reimbursed at the rate of public transportation
• Candidates will receive Rs. 1,500 per month as communication expenses,
• Project will issue accidental insurance policy of Rs 10,00,000

Selection Process 

VCDP will publish this TOR with 15 days bid application period with the validity upto 2nd December 2020. Interested and eligible candidates should submit their CV and Proposal via email to info@vcdp.org.np. Candidates should indicate financial proposal. Candidates should mention their preferred station and also inform if they are willing to work in other station or not.