Agriculture Officer (AO)_qualification revised

Vacancy Announcement

KOICA Empowering Rural Communities in Nepal through an Integrated Approach to Health and Income Growth Project

I. General Information

• Job Title: Agriculture Officer (AO)
• Sector of Assignment: Rural development,  Income generation(Agriculture and Off farm), Cooperative and Community development
• Country: Nepal
• Duty Station (city): Kavre, Dhulikhel (Dhulikhel Hospital Lung centre (with frequent travel to other project districts))
• Project Site: Sindhupalchowk-Manekharka and Hindi, Kavrepalanchowk-Salambu, Tanahun-Puttar
• Duration of Assignment: 1 year (extendable based on performance & project duration)

II. Supervision

• Title of Supervisor: Livelihood Manager (LM)
• Content and Methodology of Supervision: Agriculture Officer will work under the direct supervision and guidance of the Supervisor and will report directly to the Supervisor. At the beginning of his/her assignment, a detailed work plan will be developed jointly by the Agriculture Officer and his/her supervisor and will include the detailed assignments, their timeline, indicators and targets.

  He/she will be supervised on a regular basis through individual and group meetings where the Agriculture Officer will provide weekly update on the progress towards targets as well as challenges and lessons learned, and the supervisor will provide feedback and guidance. Further, the supervisor is to provide adequate guidance, clarifications and feedback is being provided against the established work plan.

  
  

III. Duties, Responsibilities and Output Expectations

• Background Information - Job Specific: Agriculture Officer reports to LM who provides general guidance on the overall performance. He/she will also be provided with inputs from Income Generation Specialist and Agriculture Specialist stationed in Korea. Agriculture Officer will be in charge of planning and implementing on farm and off farm components of the Project under the supervision of LM and PM.

  He/she will design the most appropriate agriculture interventions based on the local context and need of the target communities, execute day-to-day operation and monitor its progress and implementation as well as manage the budget and coordinate the operation. Frequent visits to project sites may be required. He/she may expect to work under complex and challenging environment within limited resources.

1. Planning and Implementation

• Support designing of gender-sensitive agricultural extension activities including demonstration plots establishment for crops and livestock development.
• Provide technical backstopping and supervision to the staff members of the implementing partners.
• Support designing of a detailed agricultural training package (agriculture, livestock, and marketing).
• Analyze potentiality for agroforestry and permaculture, and conduct detailed agricultural value chain analysis including post-harvest handling and storage.
• Collect data and information of the implementing partners to identify the knowledge and skill gaps.
• Support in the development of operating manuals and training packages (including trainer and participant manuals) with the contents, methodologies, tools, and approaches to capacitate implementing partners.
• Design and implement suitable activities in alignment with the Agriculture Knowledge Centre’s and rural municipalities' agricultural plans
• Assist in developing linkage with Business Development Service (BDS) providers and market for selected farmers groups
• Support in exploring business opportunities along the value chain of the selected commodity(s) and support in preparing business plans for cooperatives and farming families.
• Provide technical assistance to newly created businesses, and support in establishing market and BDS linkages.

2. Capacity Building

• Design training events to respond to the identified needs.
• Provide necessary updates on work progress to the senior management team and support to take appropriate decisions for smooth implementation of the designed activities.
• Organize sharing/learning meetings, seminars, and workshops.
• Collect information of each event, analyze it, prepare a report and provide constructive feedback for quality improvement.
• Continuously support in knowledge transfer to and exchange of methods/practices with the implementing partners through suggestions, presentations, training materials, and best practices for performance improvement. 

3. Monitoring and Feedback

• Design and implement a scientifically sound M&E Indicators to enable a proper measurement of the project impact by coordinating with the Supervisor and PM
• Monitor the livelihood activities implementation to ensure that they are aligned with the operating manual
• Monitor the activities of field staffs and Implementation partner organization as per the policies, guidelines and operating manuals
• Provide necessary feedback and comments to the staff and implementing partner organizations on the matters pertaining to the livelihood component.

• Prepare periodic reports and document best practices and lessons learned.
• Refine and correct the reports collected from the implementing partners and submit to the Livelihood Manager and Program Manager.
• Submit weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual reports and activity completion reports to the Livelihood Manager.

5. Coordination and liaison

• Assist to identify potential partners in the project areas
• Work with existing partner to ensure that projects are clearly understood, implemented and that project documents are completed.
• Ensure proper cooperation with partner organizations and delivery of quality services
• Coordinate with the local implementing partners and non-/government line agencies to enhance functional relationships and maintain an optimum level of shared understanding among all stakeholders.
• Develop and strengthen network with municipality/ward level stakeholders
• Liaise with different departments to ensure adequate operational support to the livelihood program implementation.
• Work with the partners to develop and maintain a program monitoring and lesson learning framework.

6. Other

• Develop Information Education and Communication (IEC) and Behavioural Change Communication (BCC) materials such as success stories, fact sheets, brochures, manuals, etc.
• Conduct field visits as per the requirement.
• Carry out other duties and responsibilities assigned by the supervisor.

IV.  QUALIFICATIONS and REQUIREMENTS

 This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment.

1. Education

• Advanced degree in Agriculture Science or a relevant discipline. The required education degree may be substituted by extensive professional experience involving similar work responsibilities and/or additional training certificates in relevant domains.
  

2. Experience

• The candidate should have at least 1 years' experience in commercial agriculture production, agribusiness developmen and marketing is desired;
• Experience in improving agriculture productivity and profitability of small farm prodaction and improving food and nutrition security
• Experience in upgrading agro-value chain through private sector engagement;
• Experience in upgrading agro-value enterpreneurs, farmers group, cooperatives and CBOs;
• Experience in strengthening linkages and completeness of market systems for agriculture product;
• Professional knowledge of business plan development for on and off farm based micro-enterprises;
• Excellen communication and interpersonal skills to be able to carry out capacity building for all stakeholders;
• Work experience in the hill areas of Nepal would be an asset;
• Experience and knowledge of policies and procedures from bi-lateral aid organizations, especially KOICA, will be a asset.

3. Language

• Proficiency in written and spoken English and Nepali.
• Ability to speak Tamang will be an asset.

4. Skills

• Microsoft office (including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

V. Background Information

Limited access to healthcare services and lack of income source results in low quality of life of people living in the project sites: Manekharka and Hindi in Sindhupalchowk district, Salambu in Kavre district and Puttar in Tanahun district.

Dhulikhel Hospital of Kathmandu University has established 21 outreach centers (ORCs) in rural areas across the country including the project sites, and dispatched medical and paramedical staffs. In addition, Dhulikhel Hospital also has launched the community development programs promoting income growth activities in addition to the provision of basic healthcare services through ORCs, so that community people can fully enjoy the provided services. These efforts are recognized as a new approach of rural development.

In recognition of this effort, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has launched a new project titled “Empowering Rural Communities in Nepal Through an Integrated Approach to Health and Income Growth” by signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Nepal to support Dhulikhel Hospital with its development experience and expertise.

The Project aims to achieve well-being and improved quality of life in rural community as result of strengthened capacity for community development through integrated approach to health and income growth. Main components of project implementation includes: developing a Master Plan to operate outreach centers; workshops with relevant partners for community need assessment and knowledge sharing; capacity building of healthcare personnel, community leaders and members; supporting income generation of community people by cash cropping and other relevant activities; managing and evaluating progress and performance of the project; supporting construction of agricultural infrastructure and health facilities in the project sites.

VI. Agency Information

1. Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)

KOICA is Korea’s leading development cooperation agency to achieve global social values and aims to fight global poverty and support sustainable socio-economic development in developing countries while at the same time strengthening Korea’s friendly relations with them. Setting health, education, governance, agriculture and rural development and technology, environment and energy as priority sectors, KOICA delivers grant-based programs through its development projects, international volunteer and fellowship programs, emergency relief provision, multilateral cooperation, etc. At present KOICA operates 44country offices around the globe.

• Official website: http://www.koica.go.kr/sites/koica_en/index.do

KOICA Nepal Office has started its operation in Nepal since 1995 to maximize the effectiveness of Korea's grant aid programs for developing countries by implementing the government's grant aid and technical cooperation programs.

• Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/koica.npl

2. KOICA “Empowering Rural Communities in Nepal through an Integrated Approach to Health and Income Growth” Project Office

The Project office has established in March 2021 and members are consisted of international and national specialists in project management, health and agriculture of Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS) and Yonsei Global Health Center (YGHC)

• KDS Official website: http://eng.kds.re.kr/Main/index.html
• YGHC Official website: http://globalhealth.yonsei.ac.kr/english/index.php

Dhulikhel Hospital of Kathmandu University is the partner agency for the Project.

Interested candidates who meet the above mentioned are required to submit their application letter and recent C.V with contact details (email and mobile number) of referee for reference check via email to ercnproject@gmail.com no later than 22nd July 2021 till 17:00 hours.

Inquiries are only accepted through the above e-mails.