Food Security Field Officer at INTERSOS

Job Purpose

• Under the supervision of the Cash Distribution Specialist (CDS), the Field Officer will lead the implementation of climate-resilient agricultural activities aimed at empowering female-headed households and families of malnourished children.
• This role ensures that beneficiaries can successfully establish micro-gardens to produce the nutritious ingredients needed for "Tom Brown" food supplements, thereby reducing dependency on external aid.

Responsibilties
Targeting and Beneficiary Selection:

• Identify and register eligible households, prioritizing female-headed households with children previously or currently enrolled in the nutrition program (MAM/SAM cases).
• Verify that targeted households meet the basic requirements for gardening, such as physical capacity and available land space.

Input Distribution and Oversight:

• Coordinate the one-time distribution of climate-resilient vegetable seeds and simple manual irrigation kits.
• Ensure all distributions are conducted in a safe, transparent, and accountable manner.

Technical Training and Mentorship:

• Provide technical training on small-scale sustainable gardening, including soil preparation, organic composting, and pest management.
• Conduct regular follow-up visits to provide on-site mentorship and ensure the correct use of irrigation tools and gardening techniques.

Integration and Coordination:

• Liaise with Mother-to-Mother and Father-to-Father support groups to integrate psycho-education on nutrition with practical gardening skills.
• Collaborate with the Nutrition Team to ensure the garden produce aligns with the ingredients needed for local "Tom Brown" production.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Collect and maintain accurate records of distributions, training attendance, and garden progress.
• Contribute to Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) to assess the impact of agricultural support on household food stability.
• Identify and report risks such as pest outbreaks, security challenges, or climate-related issues that may affect crop yields.

Position Requirements
Qualifications and Requirements:

• Education: BSc / HND in Agriculture, Agronomy or a related field.
• Experience: At least 3 years of field experience in food security agricultural projects, preferably in an emergency or recovery context in Northern Nigeria.

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in climate-resilient agricultural techniques suitable for the Northwest region.
• Experience with manual irrigation systems and micro-gardening.

Soft Skills:

• Strong community mobilization skills and ability to work with vulnerable female-headed households.
• Fluency in Hausa (essential) and English.
• Willingness to work in volatile security environments (Anka, Gusau, Maru).

Accountability:

• Adhere to INTERSOS and SV (donor) standards for transparency and accountability to affected populations.
• Promptly report any allegations of fraud, diversion, or misconduct through the established Complaint and Response Mechanism (CRM).