Company Profile

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

Job Description

Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer (FtF USAID ATT)

The Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer Project (ATT Project) will address Ghana’s complex value chain issues, focusing on using technologies to improve the seed sector, and will identify sustainable solutions leading to increased competitiveness in the rice, soybean and maize value chains. The expected outcome is an increased availability and use of agricultural inputs and technologies to increase and sustain agricultural productivity in Northern Ghana. The project requires the services of Agronomists support for its operations and IFDC seeks to hire three full-time Agronomists to be stationed at Bolga, Tamale and Wa.

Job summary

The Regional Agronomists will develop and disseminate intensified, sustainable production methods for smallholder farmers for priority commodities – rice, maize and soybean-as well as crops grown in association with these crops (usually as rotations and intercrops). Dissemination is primarily through interaction with government and non-government partners, including farmer organizations, agro-input dealers, NGOs, international research organizations, and government research and extension.

Specific duties

1. Assure demonstration plots are implemented within the guidelines of pre-established project protocols, and field days are organized and attended as directed by the project
2. Work with partners to assure accurate data collection (yields, gross margin analysis, farmer adoption levels, training attendance, etc.) is reported to the project
3. Participate in the development of, and supervise partners’ use of, simple, direct training materials, suited to both farmers and extension staff
4. Facilitate knowledge transfer of project-related information and agronomic practices directly to farmers and other service providers
5. Work with partners to assure a high level of farmer adoption of farming practices
6. Identify production constraints or bottlenecks and develop means to address them with guidance from the ISFM Advisor, the Regional Technical Advisors and the project’s home office in Tamale
7. Work with local partners, the ISFM Advisor and the Regional Technical Manager to identify possible grant opportunities for lead farmers/tractor operators with whom they work regularly

Supervision

Position reports to the ISFM Advisor in conjunction with coordination from each Regional Technical Managers

Duty Station

The three agronomists will be located each in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

Required Skills or Experience

• MSc. in Crop Science/Agronomy
• Minimum 3 years’ experience with a recognized organization in agronomy or crop science, with extensive experience in farmer training
• Specific knowledge of one commercial production of one or more of the following: paddy rice, maize and soybean
• Familiarity with principles of fertilizer deep placement (FDP) and integrated soil fertility management (ISFM)
• Farming-as-a-business experience
• Ability to communicate effectively with value-chain actors at all levels involved in the project and to stimulate a genuinely participatory process towards increasing agricultural productivity
• Ability to coordinate training programs, field days, and other events
• Ability to work independently and to take initiative
• Good communication and reporting skills in English
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office, internet communications
• Fluency in language(s) in region of operation
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team; strong interpersonal skills
• Willingness to travel extensively in region of operation