Project Assistant Agronomy/Forestry at Concern for Women and Children Development Foundation (COWACDI)

Qualification:                B.Sc.

Vacancy:                       2

Contract Duration:       10 Months

Start Date:                    ASAP

Role purpose

The Project Assistant Agronomy/Forestry will be responsible for implementing efficient Agronomy/Forestry activities including Agronomy/Forestry assessment and promotion of healthy eating habits, directly and indirectly through training/mentoring of project community volunteers and beneficiaries, linking up with LGA BOSADP Officers, other NGOs, and private sector actors at the community level.

The role shall provide overall project supervision, promote, and value participatory approaches at the community level throughout the projects’ cycle, awareness raising and sensitisation, and all related program activities, Pre and Post Agronomy/Forestry activities Monitoring as well as monitoring and evaluation under the direct supervision of the Project Officer.

Promote the vision, mission, and the values of COWACDI as expressed in the regulations & guidelines of the Organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Under the direct supervision of the Project Officer Agronomy/Forestry and in collaboration with the extension agents, field agents and community volunteers and CPAs and other team members of the program and of the base, the role will:
• Facilitate community entry activities.
• Assist in the implementation of the community project plans and make recommendations to the line manager for approval of community agronomic/forestry project activities.
• Assist in training of beneficiaries on rain fed seed crop production, dry season crop production and micro-garden farming.
• Facilitate Agronomy/forestry related surveys in communities.
• Prepare action plans and provide direct support to beneficiaries through visits, in line with the action plans and as required.
• Facilitate links and referrals relationships between the beneficiaries and community groups and local sources of support.
• Ensure all documentation, reports, and records from the community on rain fed/dry season seed crop production and micro-garden farming are maintained per agreed procedure, and information is provided on these community activities as required.
• Co-facilitate step-down trainings with beneficiaries and community groups on various topics on rain fed /dry season seed crop production and micro-garden farming as outlined in the implementation plan.
• Support beneficiaries and community groups to conduct assessments/project activities to all special women and youths in the communities.
• Support activities on community disaster risk reduction, famer field schools, asset transfer and revolving fund management, community-based saving, and lending groups opportunities.
• Assist in data collection on rain fed/dry season seed crop production and micro-garden farming under technical guidance of the M&E officer.
• Coordinate with community- based LGA BOSADP officers, other NGOs, and private sector actors.
• Do any other responsibility that will be assigned to him/her.
• Ensure data collection of Agronomy/Forestry activities under technical guidance of the M&E officer.

Additional Tasks:

• Support Project Stakeholders to implement Agronomy/Forestry program activities in the target communities listed above, through:
• Co-facilitation of community training on various Agronomy/Forestry issues and topics as outlined in the project implementation plan and training modules.
• Work with LGA-based project teams to model techniques and processes for community engagement.
• In subsequent stages of community engagement, provide mentoring and oversight on Agronomy/Forestry activities of the community volunteers and team members.
• Maintain documentation and M&E systems at the community level: under the technical guidance of M&E officer, work with community mobilizers, village agents, beneficiaries, and community groups to ensure that all documents for beneficiaries are kept up-to-date, accurate, and secured; and ensure that information is compiled as needed in an accurate and timely basis to assess progress against activities and outcomes for each community.
• Support the Project Officer and stakeholders as required in representing the program to government agencies, other implementing partners, and service providers. Help establish referral systems with other service providers at the LGA level, to be utilized by community volunteers, CPAs, and beneficiary and community groups to refer beneficiaries for services not provided by this project.
• Facilitate the community volunteers, beneficiary, and community groups to explore opportunities for soliciting additional indigenous support to program beneficiaries from local resources through community and in-kind contributions.
• Co-facilitate Agronomy/Forestry training activities as required, and in line with the implementation plan.
• Work with the Finance, Admin, Logistics, Security, Procurement Officers, project partners, and community volunteers, and Project Officer to ensure that all financial activities conducted in each community are properly documented in line with COWACDI Project requirement and donor procedures.

Other ad hoc tasks as requested by Project Officer.

Applied skills/knowledge and expertise.

Essential Requirement

Level of Education – University Degree/HND in Agriculture or a closely related field with at least 2 years’ experience

• Must have substantial experience in implementing community-level development projects, using participatory engagement and grassroots mobilization techniques.
• Experience working on Agronomy/Forestry value chain actors and their service providers.
• Sound experience working on Agronomy/Forestry and related projects.
• Excellent training and facilitation skills with a wide variety of groups having diverse experiences, backgrounds, skills, and education levels.
• Experience in handling grants to local groups, ensuring appropriate basic documentation and accountability at the community/field level.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Power point
• Excellent verbal communication and listening skills.
• Language Requirements: Spoken English-Excellent; Written English-Good (ability to type and prepare reports and other documents as needed.)
• Must be able to speak at least one local language predominant in that state.

Analytical skills

• Works on complex issues. Problems and issues, risks, and benefits may have implications across several project components.
• Required to develop new ways of doing things to better meet program goals requiring creative or analytical ability.

Decision making

Budgetary/savings responsibility: Make decisions to manage community gatekeepers effectively, from identification of volunteers and village agents to the day-to-day management of community programme teams. Day to day decision to ensure community projects are running effectively and supporting the projects informed by COWACDI's strategy and strategic focus areas. Make contributions around project proposals, ensuring they are prepared and comply with community expectations.

Desirable

• Involvement in relevant value chain projects, and/or those involving vulnerable people, especially those with Agronomy/Forestry interventions.
• Experience in engaging directly with vulnerable people, facilitating women activities, and/or facilitating vulnerable people’s participation in meetings, discussions, etc.
• Involvement in projects and/or initiatives that address issues of power, diversity, exclusion, participation, and gender.
• Ability to multi-task, engage in long-term planning, meet deadlines, and handle last-minute demands; exercise patience, and adapt to changing circumstances.

Relationships

• External: Build strong relationships with partners, networks, donors, stakeholders, and community beneficiaries
• Internal: Build a strong relationship with program departments, MEAL officers, program managers, M&E units, and all staff.