Associate Officer, Knowledge Transfer at East-West Seed Kahama

Recognizing that farmers need access to quality seeds and knowledge on how to grow, East-West Seed has supported intensive farmer training programs since 2000. To ensure that pre-commercial activities are most effectively geared towards benefiting smallholder farmers, the company created a unit dedicated to facilitating knowledge transfer and improving on-farm skills and innovation. East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer works hand-in-hand as part of the company; showcasing profitable and sustainable farm practices in areas that would otherwise be of limited interest to many seed companies.

Job Title: Associate Officer, Knowledge Transfer

Career Level: Mid-Level

Reporting to: Manager, Knowledge Transfer

Job Locations: Kahama, Tanzania

Employment: Full Time

JOB SUMMARY: ASSOCIATE OFFICER, KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

To provide technical knowledge to small-scale farmers; promoting and showcasing profitable and sustainable production practices. This position will support the pre-commercial activities of EWS. By increasing the productivity of vegetable production with smallholder farmers it is expected that this will lead to long-term opportunities for EWS to develop new markets in high-quality vegetable seeds.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting key farmer demonstration plots:

• Identify villages in collaboration with project partners
• Select and coach key farmers in collaboration with project partners
• Provide regular technical advice to farmers on all aspects of vegetable production
• Share monthly follow up and training plans with KT Manager and project partners
• Place signboards around the demonstration plots to inform other farmers of the current activity.
• Take photos of the demonstration plot at different growing stage
• Share farm records with farmers and key partners

Conduct farmer training:

• Identify training needs per crop season of the different groups in villages
• Plan training of farmers
• Share training plan with KT Manager
• Conduct short village level training courses on vegetable production, as per project document
• Collect data for Project Lead
• Evaluate training and training materials in collaboration with project partners and KT Manager
• Ensure regular participation of farmers in the training
• Distribute extension materials
• Be proactive in organizing and supporting women farmers groups

Organize field days

• Plan field days during harvest on all successful demonstrations
• Share the plan with project partners and KT Manager
• Advertise and inform community and stakeholders
• Record information and observation from field days
• Distribute extension materials

Technical point of contact for vegetable production within the area of activities.

• Participate in other events organized by EWS (commercial field days etc)
• Be proactive in keeping up to date with new varieties, new techniques, new products on the market
• Be proactive in setting trials in demonstration farms, record accordingly results.
• Closely coordinate activities with input dealers and collectors and support them with technical information
• Support in organizing and conducting radio programs to farmers on selected topics
• Closely follow up on Arifu mobile SMS and offer needed support to farmers

Data collection in coordination with KT Manager

• Report accurate and timely farm records
• Record data for monitoring – training number of participants, field days participants
• Record observations, remarks that could be important in evaluating and managing activities
• Submit reports as required by Sr Administrator, Technical and KT Manager

Are we looking for you?

• Must have Bachelor Degree in Agriculture
• Ability to communicate with all levels; particularly smallholder farmers
• Must have technical competence in all aspects of crop management
• Experience in technical training (farmer extension)
• Ability to transfer improved farm management practices through key farmers
• Able to build trust in farming communities
• Good time management and organization skills
• Able to coordinate with input dealer, collector, and relevant partner
• Ability to solve problems(analytical thinking) and share relevant information
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the Swahili language, and proficiency in English a plus
• Ability to ride motorcycle and possession of a valid driving license preferably class A
• Computer literacy is a plus

East-West Seed has competitive packages on offer for outperformers

Application Deadline: December 30th, 2021

Email:[email protected]

Women are more encouraged