Scientific Officer (Research Associate) in Agricultural Engineering at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

The Job:

a) Facilitate Capacity Building on Good Agronomic Practices

• Plan and implement capacity building for stakeholders (extension agents, farmers’ groups, technicians) on the use of small and medium scale machines and implements related to on Sorghum production and processing

• Organize technical support for farmer on best practices and techniques as related to sorghum production and post-harvest handling

• Identify and introduce appropriate machines and implements for drudgery reductions in sorghum production and processing in sorghum production hubs

• Identify and develop appropriate partnerships with farmer groups, village-based organizations, government officials and other development partners that are active in the Sorghum sub-sector at village, district and state levels

b) Facilitate the Adoption and Use of GAP in Sorghum Farmers Fields

• Promote adoption and use of appropriate machines and implements for drudgery reductions and knowledge to improve Sorghum management and their step-wise integration into farmers’ practices

• Coordinate the formation and animation of Sorghum producers’ learning groups that constitutes the nucleus of use of appropriate machines and implements for drudgery reductions learning and dissemination at farm level

• Promote participatory extension methods and group-based learning tools that encourage knowledge and experience sharing amongst farmers

• Demonstrate new technologies and practices to increase crop yields at farm level

• Promote the use of audio-visual and other multi-media tools for the dissemination of technologies that increase Sorghum yields in farmers’ fields

• Assist farmer leaders to develop a critical capacity to observe, analyze, and to propose appropriate solutions to crop management problems challenges 

c) Supervision and Reporting

• Supervise and support field based staff including community based facilitators and farmers implementing field activities in Sorghum sector development hubs

• Supervise in conjunction with other project staff as may be required, annual field surveys on the agronomic, socio-economic and livelihoods aspects of Sorghum farming, including data analysis and reporting

• Write monthly, quarterly summaries and annual reports to the Sorghum commodity specialist or senior  management as maybe required for purposes of program documentation, M&E and reporting to donors

• Plan and carry out analysis of efficiencies and effect of introduced machines and implements at farm level

• Contribute to project quarterly and annual planning meetings and budgeting process by furnishing timely information on the mechanization aspect of crop cultivation

• Provide feedback and manage information to/from stakeholders (farmer organization, private sector value chain actors, etc) as maybe advised by project management from time to time to ensure adequate communications linkages are maintained between the project management team, the communities and other stakeholders