Agronomist Consultant at Pyxera Global

About the Program

• The West Africa Agriculture Resilience Program (WAFARP) - funded by the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub and co-implemented with PYXERA Global’s partner Dantata Foods and Allied Products Limited (DFAP) - is a holistic agricultural and community development program designed to mitigate food insecurity experienced by Nigerian smallholder farmers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• WAFARP aims to contribute to food security among smallholder farming communities in Nigeria’s Cross River, Kebbi, and Benue States by:
• Enhancing efficiency and quality in the food value chain through an integrated agriculture aggregation center system;
• Building farmer capacity through education, training, and certification that will equip farmers with the standards and tools to produce high-quality food crops that command high prices, leading to increased earnings; and
• Creating an inclusive agricultural system that effectively and sustainably engages and generates economic and employment opportunities for women and youth along with each link of the rice, maize, and soybean value chains across the three states.

Agronomist Consultant:

• Enterprise and Community Development - West Africa Agriculture Resilience Program (WAFARP)

Position Summary

• PYXERA Global seeks an Agronomist Consultant to provide technical expertise to enhance the productivity and capacity of smallholder farmers through a complex agricultural and integrated community development program designed to mitigate the food insecurity experienced by Nigerian smallholder farmers and their communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Agronomist will report to the Program Manager/Lead for the West Africa Agriculture Resilience Program (WAFARP). This position is based in Nigeria.

Key Position Responsibilities

• Provide project development and strategic support in a variety of areas with high potential to mitigate food insecurity experienced by Nigerian smallholder farmers.
• Provide technical expertise relating to training to address challenges facing farmers, improvements to agricultural practices to lead to increased productivity and entrepreneurship opportunities for women and youth.
• Conduct regular field visits to sites and communities across Nigeria engaged by the program.
• Coordinate with farmers’ associations, private service providers, research institutions, and government agencies as required.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements
Required:

• A combination of experience and technical background in the following domains: Rice; Maize; Soybean; Agriculture aggregation centers and operations; Inclusive agriculture systems and development for women and youth in agriculture.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in agronomy.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience in agricultural development in Nigeria.
• Deep knowledge of and experience related to the production, storage, processing, and commercialization of rice, maize, and soybean.
• Demonstrated leadership and adaptability.
• Reading, writing, and speaking proficiency in one or more West African languages.
• Nigerian Citizen.

Preferred:

• Experience working with the community and rural development projects.

Salary

• This is a one-year position with a competitive salary.