Agriculture/NRM Officer

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

Agriculture/NRM Officer

Project: Civil Society for Nature-Based Local Agri-Food Systems (CS4FS)

1. Organizational Background

Janakpur Women Awareness Society (JWAS) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1993 in Dhanusha District, Nepal. Founded and operated by women social workers, JWAS works to improve the living standards and socioeconomic well-being of women, children, and marginalized communities through community participation, local resource mobilization, and inclusive development initiatives. JWAS Nepal promotes gender equality and social inclusion, sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, natural resource management, and community empowerment, with a particular focus on disadvantaged and marginalized populations.

2. Project Background

The Civil Society for Nature-Based Local Agri-Food Systems (CS4FS) project aims to promote inclusive, sustainable, and resilient local agri-food systems through regenerative agriculture, agroecological practices, natural resource management, and strengthened civil society engagement. The project works with marginalized and smallholder farming households, landless communities, farmer groups, community-based organizations (CBOs), local governments, and private-sector actors in three municipalities of Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province. It seeks to strengthen food security, improve agricultural productivity and soil health, enhance climate resilience, and promote sustainable livelihood opportunities through nature-based solutions and locally led agricultural development. The project targets 2,500 smallholder farmers and 500 landless households across Ganeshman Charnath Municipality, Shahidnagar Municipality, and Janaknandani Rural Municipality in Dhanusha District.

3. Position Details

• Position Title: Agriculture/NRM Officer
• Required Number: One (1)
• Project: Civil Society for Nature-Based Local Agri-Food Systems (CS4FS)
• Duty Station: Janakpurdham, Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province, Nepal
• Reports To: Project Manager, JWAS (Project’s Organizational Focal Person)
• Working Relationships: Project field staff, consortium partners, local and provincial governments, farmer groups, CBOs, private-sector actors, and other relevant stakeholders

4. Position Purpose

The Agriculture/NRM Officer will provide technical leadership and operational support for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of project activities related to regenerative agriculture, agroecology, natural resource management, climate-resilient farming, and sustainable livelihoods. The officer will work closely with project staff, consortium partners, farmer groups, CBOs, local governments, and private-sector stakeholders to strengthen the capacities of farming communities, facilitate the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and promote inclusive and resilient local agri-food systems. The position will also ensure that project interventions are implemented effectively, on time, and within the approved budget, in accordance with project objectives, quality standards, donor requirements, and JWAS Nepal’s policies and procedures.

5. Key Roles and Responsibilities

5.1. Technical Planning and Project Implementation

• Lead the technical planning, design, coordination, and implementation of project activities related to regenerative agriculture, agroecology, natural resource management, climate-resilient agriculture, and sustainable livelihoods.
• Review the approved proposal, detail implementation plan (DIP)/action plan, budget, technical guidelines, previous reports and commitments. 
• Develop and regularly update detailed implementation plans (DIPs), annual and quarterly workplans, activity schedules, and field-level implementation strategies in coordination with the Project Manager and consortium partners.
• Ensure timely and effective implementation of project activities in accordance with approved workplans, budgets, project targets, and donor requirements.
• Provide technical guidance to field staff, farmer groups, model farmers, Krishi Doots, CBOs, and other relevant stakeholders on regenerative and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
• Ensure quality and consistency of regenerative agriculture sessions through practical demonstrations, adoption follow-up, and coaching of field staff, model farmers and Krishi Doots.
• Facilitate the establishment, operation, and monitoring of demonstration farms, model farms, farmer learning sites, and Farmer Field Schools (FFS), as specified in the approved project design.
• Promote appropriate agroecological practices, including soil health improvement, composting, organic matter management, crop diversification, integrated pest management, water-efficient farming, and sustainable use of agricultural resources.
• Support the identification and promotion of locally appropriate, affordable, and environmentally sustainable agricultural technologies and practices.
• Facilitate participatory assessments of agricultural needs, production constraints, natural resource management challenges, and livelihood opportunities among target communities.
• Support identification, testing and follow-up of feasible livelihood options for landless households, including lease-based and low-land models.
• Support the distribution and utilization of agricultural inputs, tools, and technologies in accordance with approved project guidelines, ensuring transparent beneficiary selection, proper documentation, and follow-up on utilization.
• Identify implementation challenges and recommend practical, context-specific solutions to improve project performance and sustainability.
• Provide technical support to related project interventions, including food security, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, community development, and relevant WASH or governance linkages, where specified in the project design.
• Provide Agriculture/NRM technical coordination for irrigation, water management and NbS activities, while engineering design and approval remain with qualified technical staff.

5.2. Capacity Development and Community Mobilization

• Assess the capacity development needs of project staff, farmer groups, CBOs, model farmers, Krishi Doots, and local government representatives.
• Design and facilitate training, coaching, demonstrations, and practical learning sessions on regenerative agriculture, agroecology, climate-resilient farming, soil and water conservation, and sustainable natural resource management.
• Strengthen the capacity of farmer groups and community institutions to plan, implement, monitor, and sustain collective agricultural initiatives.
• Support the effective functioning of Farmer Field Schools, demonstration plots, farmer learning sites, and other community-based learning platforms.
• Facilitate experience-sharing events, farmer-to-farmer learning, exposure visits, technical workshops, and stakeholder dialogues.
• Develop review and standardize practical training materials and  technical guidelines and communication resources in accessible local languages.
• Promote meaningful participation of women, landless households, Dalit communities, Janajati communities, Muslim communities, youth, and other disadvantaged groups in agricultural development activities.
• Provide regular technical mentoring and on-the-job coaching to field staff to improve the quality and consistency of project implementation.

5.3. Natural Resource Management and Climate Resilience

• Promote sustainable management of soil, water, biodiversity, and other natural resources that support local agri-food systems.
• Facilitate community-level initiatives on soil conservation, water management, organic soil fertility improvement, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use.
• Support the integration of climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and nature-based solutions into agricultural planning and implementation.
• Promote context-appropriate farming practices that reduce climate-related risks, improve soil health, conserve resources, and strengthen household resilience.
• Support assessments and documentation of climate-related agricultural risks, production losses, resource degradation, and locally developed adaptation practices.
• Coordinate with local governments and relevant stakeholders to integrate sustainable agriculture and natural resource management priorities into local plans, programmes, and budgets.
• Document learning from model farms and demonstrations and use evidence to support integration of regenerative agriculture and NRM priorities into local plans and budgets.
• Contribute technical inputs to relevant local adaptation, food security, and agricultural planning processes, as appropriate.

5.4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning, and Reporting

• Work closely with the Project Manager, consortium partners, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) personnel to implement the project MEAL framework and associated monitoring tools.
• Monitor field activities regularly to assess implementation progress, technical quality, achievement of targets, and compliance with approved workplans and project standards.
• Track key agricultural and natural resource management indicators, including adoption of regenerative practices, soil health, agricultural productivity, farmer participation, and livelihood improvements, in line with the project results framework.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and complete collection, verification, analysis, and reporting of field-level data.
• Maintain and regularly update the project Management Information System (MIS), beneficiary records, activity databases, and relevant supporting documentation.
• Conduct field monitoring visits and provide constructive feedback to field staff, farmer groups, and implementing partners to improve programme quality.
• Identify implementation gaps, document lessons learned, and recommend corrective actions based on monitoring findings and community feedback.
• Prepare timely and high-quality monthly, quarterly, annual, and final technical and activity reports, as required by the Project Manager and project reporting calendar.
• Contribute to progress reviews, technical assessments, baseline and endline exercises, studies, evaluations, and other learning activities.
• Document good practices, success stories, case studies, lessons learned, photographs, and evidence of changes resulting from project interventions, ensuring appropriate consent and safeguarding standards.
• Support financial monitoring by reviewing activity implementation against approved budgets, identifying variances, and providing timely explanations and recommendations to the Project Manager.
• Ensure that monitoring data, beneficiary information, and reporting evidence are accurate, consistent, traceable, and available for internal reviews, donor reporting, and audits.

5.5. Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Management

• Maintain effective working relationships with consortium partners, local governments, provincial-level stakeholders, farmer groups, CBOs, private-sector actors, and other relevant institutions.
• Coordinate regular technical meetings, joint planning sessions, field visits, progress reviews, and experience-sharing events with project partners.
• Work closely with consortium partners to promote harmonized implementation approaches, avoid duplication, share learning, and achieve common project results.
• Facilitate engagement with municipal agriculture sections, relevant provincial government agencies, agricultural service providers, research institutions, and extension workers.
• Support local governments in identifying and integrating regenerative agriculture, natural resource management, food security, and climate-resilient agriculture priorities into local development plans and annual budgets.
• Facilitate coordination between farmer groups, agricultural input suppliers, market actors, service providers, and other private-sector stakeholders.
• Coordinate with PAC and market-system staff to link production support with market findings, buyers, input suppliers, cooperatives and service providers.
• Support the development of market linkages and inclusive value chains for sustainably produced agricultural products and regenerative agricultural inputs.
• Promote collaboration with local entrepreneurs and ecopreneurs to encourage environmentally sustainable businesses and livelihood opportunities.
• Support civil society organizations and community institutions in constructive engagement and evidence-based advocacy on sustainable agriculture, food security, and natural resource management.

5.6. Gender Equality, Social Inclusion, Accountability, and Safeguarding

• Integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) principles into agricultural planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Ensure that women, landless households, marginalized farmers, and other disadvantaged groups can meaningfully participate in and benefit from project activities.
• Promote equitable access to agricultural knowledge, inputs, services, technologies, markets, and decision-making opportunities.
• Encourage participatory decision-making and accountability within farmer groups and community institutions.
• Ensure that community feedback and complaints are appropriately documented, referred, and addressed through established project mechanisms.
• Comply with JWAS Nepal’s policies on safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, child protection, fraud prevention, and professional conduct.
• Report safeguarding concerns, suspected misconduct, or other serious risks through established organizational reporting channels.

5.7. Compliance and Other Responsibilities

Ensure that all project activities comply with JWAS Nepal’s policies and procedures, approved project documents, donor requirements, and applicable government regulations.

Maintain proper records of trainings, meetings, field visits, distributions, beneficiary participation, expenditures, and other project activities.

Support project reviews, audits, assessments, proposal development, and new project concept development by providing relevant technical information and evidence.

Participate in organizational and project-level meetings, planning exercises, capacity-building events, and performance reviews.

Perform other relevant duties assigned by the Project Manager that are consistent with the objectives of the CS4FS project and the scope of the position.

6. Qualifications and Experience

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Rural Development, or a related discipline from a recognized university.
• A master’s degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Rural Development, or a related field will be an advantage.

Professional Experience

• At least seven years of relevant professional experience in agricultural development, regenerative agriculture, agroecology, natural resource management, climate-resilient agriculture, or sustainable livelihood programming.
• Demonstrated experience in planning, implementing, and monitoring development projects, preferably in partnership with local governments, civil society organizations, and community institutions.
• Proven experience in facilitating Farmer Field Schools, farmer group development, agricultural demonstrations, community mobilization, and participatory capacity-building activities.
• Experience in project cycle management, workplan development, budget monitoring, technical reporting, and results-based management.
• Experience working with smallholder farmers, landless households, women, and socially or economically marginalized communities.
• Experience in Madhesh Province, particularly in Dhanusha District, will be an advantage.
• Experience in agricultural research, market systems development, value-chain promotion, or private-sector engagement will be an additional advantage.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Strong understanding of regenerative agriculture, agroecology, climate-resilient farming, soil health, sustainable natural resource management, and nature-based solutions.
• Knowledge of participatory agricultural extension approaches, including Farmer Field Schools, demonstration farms, farmer-to-farmer learning, and community-based capacity development.
• Familiarity with relevant national and local policies and frameworks concerning agriculture, food security, food sovereignty, climate change adaptation, natural resource management, and local governance.
• Familiarity with the LDCRF, LAPA, the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act, and relevant agricultural and environmental policies will be an advantage.
• Strong skills in data collection, analysis, interpretation, documentation, report writing, and use of digital data management tools.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills in Nepali and English; knowledge of Maithili and other relevant local languages is highly desirable.

7. Core Competencies

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate:

• Technical leadership: Ability to provide practical technical guidance and ensure high-quality agricultural and NRM interventions.
• Planning and implementation: Ability to develop realistic workplans, manage competing priorities, and deliver results within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills: Ability to assess field challenges, interpret data, and recommend evidence-based solutions.
• Coordination and teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with project staff, consortium partners, government representatives, and community stakeholders.
• Communication and facilitation: Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and facilitate participatory learning and stakeholder engagement.
• Inclusion and cultural sensitivity: Commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and the meaningful participation of marginalized communities.
• Accountability and integrity: Commitment to transparency, safeguarding, responsible resource management, and compliance with organizational policies.
• Learning and adaptability: Willingness to learn, adapt technical approaches, and improve project performance based on evidence and feedback.

8. Duty Station and Working Conditions

The Agriculture/NRM Officer will be based in Janakpur, Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province, with frequent travel to the project’s working municipalities and communities. The position requires regular field engagement, coordination with local stakeholders, and participation in project meetings, monitoring visits, training sessions, and other relevant activities. The officer must be willing to undertake frequent field travel, including during difficult seasonal conditions. A valid motorcycle driving license may be considered an advantage where consistent with JWAS policy.

9. Application Procedure

Interested and qualified candidates who are committed to JWAS vision and mission and meet the requirements of this position are invited to submit:

• An updated curriculum vitae (CV).
• A cover letter explaining their suitability for the position.
• Contact details of at least two professional referees.

Applications should be sent to vacancyjwas@gmail.com with the subject line “Application for Agriculture/NRM Officer – CS4FS Project”.

Application deadline: 17 November 2026

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further recruitment procedures. Applications from qualified candidates residing in the project’s working areas, women, youth, members of marginalized communities, and eligible former JWAS project staff are particularly encouraged.

JWAS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, inclusive, and non-discriminatory recruitment process. Canvassing or attempts to improperly influence the recruitment process at any stage may result in disqualification. Telephone inquiries regarding the recruitment process will not be entertained.