Background: TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital, and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs, and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

Program Description: The primary objective of the TechnoServe agronomy program will be to increase the production of the coffee tree for coffee farmers through both yield improvement and behavioral shifts due to price incentives. This production improvement will be achieved by educating project farmers on agronomy and environmental best practices, farm management, and assisting them in applying those techniques at an individual farm level. TechnoServe will use a two-year farm college training and individual farm visits to improve farmer knowledge of agronomy techniques and oversee implementation.

The intern, while learning through the process, will support the implementation of strategies that will enable smallholder coffee farmers to achieve sustainable increases in coffee quality and yields as per TechnoServe quality requirements. Responsible for day-to-day execution of the coffee agronomy program, activities plan, and occasionally supervise project deliverables of farmer trainers to ensure the timely achievement of targets.

Duties & Responsibilities

 INTERNs in the agronomy program are responsible to support the Business, following up, and implementing the day to day project activities at the grass-root level including the following duties & responsibilities: - 

Support in planning and management of Farmer Trainers (FTs)

 While working closely with the Agronomy advisors, the intern will:

• Submit weekly work plan – details when and which trainings the intern will attend/supervise will attend training
• Review FT weekly work plan with dates
• Collect weekly training plans and data from FTs
• Provide feedback, coaching, and development activities related to performance management, following HR guidelines. 
• Notify Agronomy Advisor of any performance issues as soon as observed.
•  Develop a team spirit among all reports.

Participate and support in conducting monthly Agronomy training for FTs

• Model the monthly agronomy training to FTs at local farmer’s fields. 
• Supervise teach-backs and give feedback as guided by the Agronomy Advisors.

Observe FTs’ training delivery at the farm level

• Observe full training to farmers
• Give feedback and coaching to FT based on observation with guidance from the Agronomy Advisors.
• Check visited HH list, cross-check with the list in the database. Ensure the reported data is accurate.

Visit Demo plots

• Check demo plot status, complete form and give feedback to FF and feedback to the Agronomy Advisor or the Senior agronomy advisor
• Meet with Focal Farmer and discuss things done well and things that needed to be implemented on the demo plot.

Tablet survey M & E

• Complete digital electronic-based training and demo plot observation form
• Collect, check for completion, and submit a complete set of Farmer Trainers’ attendance sheets to Agronomy Advisor within 1 week of training completion. 
• Discuss any attendance issues with Farmer Trainers and Business Advisor and support to develop an action plan. 
• Compile weekly attendance updates and submit to Agronomy Advisor 
• Perform any other duties as allocated by the supervisor 

Job Requirements

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in any Agriculture field – Plant Science, Horticulture, Crop Science, Agriculture, etc. May accept experience in lieu of a degree
• Willingness to be based in assigned remote locations in Sidama Zone and willingness to spend significant time in rural areas
• Interpersonal and cross-cultural skills as well as problem-solving skills
• Planning skills and working to strict time guidelines
• Fluency in Amharic and Sidamigna
• English oral & written presentation skills
• Computer literacy, including Word and Excel

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Sidama area
• Experience working with Agriculture extension-related duties.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

How to Apply

VII. Application Instructions

Qualified and interested applicants should CLICK HERE  by November 2, 2021.

Note: Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume as a single document (either Word or PDF). Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not send through the indicated link. Women are highly encouraged to apply. TNS has the right to cancel this advertisement.