Agronomy Officer at FINDEF

Location: Sokoto State (Illela LGA)

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical design and delivery of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) trainings in Illela, covering composting, intercropping, mulching, and integrated pest management (IPM).
• Supervise and maintain demonstration plots at the Climate Peace Hub, ensuring farmers are actively adopting CSA practices and gaining hands-on skills.
• Provide direct agronomic technical support to cooperatives, farmer groups, and community-based facilitators to improve farming systems and productivity.
• Integrate soil fertility management, water conservation methods, and dry-season farming techniques into training sessions for smallholder farmers.
• Collaborate with NIMET and the Sokoto Ministry of Agriculture to align extension services and ensure delivery of consistent agronomic messages.
• Monitor farmer adoption of CSA techniques, identify gaps or challenges, and recommend technical adjustments for improved outcomes.
• Contribute to cross-border market integration by enhancing crop productivity and promoting effective post-harvest handling and storage.
• Document best practices, challenges, and success stories from field activities and ensure contributions are included in donor reports.
• Facilitate farmer field days, exchange visits, and peer-to-peer learning events to strengthen knowledge sharing and innovation.
• Ensure that all trainings and extension services are inclusive of women, youth, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), promoting equal participation.

Qualifications

• BSc. in Agronomy, Agricultural Sciences, or a closely related field; an MSc. is desirable and would be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of proven experience in agronomy, farmer training, and climate-smart agriculture interventions within Northern Nigeria.
• Strong practical knowledge of soil fertility management, irrigation systems, pest control strategies, and other core agronomic practices.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver participatory training sessions that engage diverse community members effectively.
• Proven experience coordinating with government extension services, community structures, and farmer organizations in rural settings.
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required.