The goal of the Agriculture Technical Specialist in facilitating on-going access by women farmers to information they need to continue to improve their agricultural production, increase soil fertility, and respond to changes in market demand.  He will work closely with the Key Facilitating Partners (KFPs) field staff in providing agronomic technical support and assistance to the Lead Farmers and women-farmers if needed.

Given the serious shortage of extension services, he will work with women lead farmers to build their skills to provide agricultural information to the farmers in their networks.  The goal is to establish a cadre of community-based extension agents that have the capacity to continually access new information through linkages to research institutes, agricultural extension services, and other market players and to effectively communicate this information to other farmers.

The Agriculture Technical Specialist will also develop a range of communication vehicles that effectively bring extension information to women farmers. This will include working with radio stations to produce relevant programming and to broadcast these programs at times when women have access to radios.    The Specialist will build on the participatory models developed by Farm Radio International and other models as appropriate.

The Agriculture Technical Specialist will introduce and promote practices designed to protect the environment while increasing productivity.  These may include conservation agriculture approaches, the inclusion of agri-forestry and other practices appropriate to the specific context.

Throughout the project period the Agriculture Technical Specialist will monitor environmental issues and their impact on project clients and operations.  The Specialist will relate closely to Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drawing on their analysis and monitoring to inform project activities.   Lead Farmers and other value chain players will be linked to the EPA as a source of on-going information regarding environmental issues.

The Agriculture Technical Specialist will coordinate closely with the Value Chain Coordinator and the Financial Services Specialist to ensure that women farmers and others in the soybean market system have access to appropriate technical and financial services.

Duties

•   Develop contacts with extension service providers and research institutes as well as input and equipment suppliers to thoroughly understand their products and services and the opportunity for women farmers to access information that will allow them to increase productivity, improve soil fertility and respond to changes in market demand.
•   Work with a range of communication channels to bring extension information to women farmers.
•   Investigate ways to sustainably link women farmers to extension services.
•   Build the capacity of women intermediaries to provide community-based extension services to the women farmers in their networks.  This includes assisting them to develop links with extension service providers, research institutes and private companies that can provide ongoing access to information that will help women continue to improve their farming practices.
•   Introduce and promote agricultural practices designed to protect the environment and improve productivity
•   Develop links with the EPA as a source of information about environmental issues that impact project participants as well as an ongoing resource to women farmers and other value chain actors.
•   Participate in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, identification of lessons learned and ongoing improvement of project implementation as needed.
•   Carry out tasks as assigned by supervisor and project management team.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Demonstrated understanding of market-driven approaches to increase farm income and improve food security
•   Experience working on women-focused programs.
•   Degree in agriculture and minimum of 3 years’ experience in agriculture and/or agricultural development projects.
•   Experience integrating environmental practices, such as conservation agriculture and agroforestry, into agriculture projects
•   Experience in environmental monitoring
•   Private sector experience a plus
•   Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, values and goals

Location: Wa, Upper West Region

How To Apply For The Job

Please submit letter of application and resume to:-

grow@meda.org

Closing Date: 28 May, 2014