Agronomist Technical Assistant
Job Description
Supervisor: Senior Community Development Officer
Supervised : N/A
Department: Programs – Landscape Uele-Bili-Mbomu
Location: Bili-Uele
Preamble :
Since 2017, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) works in partnership with the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) to support natural resource conservation efforts within a landscape co-management framework Bili-Uere-Mbomu in the province of Bas Uele.
Protected’ary Bili-Uere-Mbomu, a transboundary complex located in the north-eastern part of the DRC, is, consisting of 02 reserves and 01 hunting grounds continues to face enormous anthropogenic pressures, including, among which we mention the’ shifting agriculture on burnis which causes the advanced degradation of the vegetal cover with as a direct consequence the loss of its rich biodiversity.
Between 2020 and 2023,’AWF and ICCN supported local communities in the food security component, including, through a program that had as its objective the improvement of community resilience and biodiversity conservation. During the implementation of this programme, AWF has developed a strategy that has enabled the adoption of pro-conservative agricultural practices by riparian communities in order to boost agricultural recovery in the hunting area of Bili Uele and its peripheries.
In order to capitalize on the achievements of’ECOFAC 6 for the food safety component, the, AWF will rely on’one of the objectives of’ECOFAC 7 which is the improvement of development and well-being opportunities of local and pastoral communities, including, through support for the development of sustainable and climate-smart agricultural practices and value chains, this one (AWF) seeks to recruit an Agricultural Technician to continue the’elanimate of a sustainable agriculture in the DCBU and its surroundings.
Summary of the position :
The position is responsible for providing practical advice for the development of a sustainable agriculture’ (sedentarization, rotation and diversification of crops) at the Hunting Domain of Bili-Uere (DCBU) ; help the program to support local communities in the establishment of demonstration fields for staple food crops in order to’ increase agricultural production, market access cooperatives, etc, identifying needs and offering various training.
The agricultural technician will work closely with community leaders, agricultural controllers and the’agriculture public administration (Ango and Bondo), and, civil society organisations and the local community (households benefiting from seeds in the’ECOCAF 6 phase),
Under the supervision of the AWF-Bili community development officer, the agricultural technician will provide technical supervision of agricultural activities leading to the improvement of the development and well-being opportunities of local communities in the ECOFAC 7 project intervention area, such as supporting the development of sustainable agricultural practices, training project beneficiaries in the management of agricultural enterprises, cooperatives and value chains and market access, and, but also to propose concrete solutions to the difficulties of’access to the market of peasant products.
Note that the position will be based in Bili, with frequent and prolonged travel and reports to be submitted to the’officier senior community development.
Responsibilities & deliveries
- Participate in the recruitment of local agricultural’animators for project activities ;
- Management and organization of local teams for project activities.
- Prepare statements of operational/forecast financial requirements for the activities for which it is responsible.
- Develop a draft work plan on the logistical aspects of field missions for monitoring/supervision of project activities ;
- Prepare and monitor the’ state of the logistical needs of local agriculture
- Ensure, in collaboration with the community development officer, the periodic planning of activities
- Identify and map the sites for the demonstration fields as well as the beneficiary households ;
- Building the capacity of local structures (CLCD) /or beneficiary households in various training courses on sustainable agriculture ; agro-industry, etc, cooperative approach and value chain management and market access) ;
- Maintain collaboration on the ground between local authorities and local governance structures (CLCD, CC, CGCD and others) ;
- Prepare and participate in joint supervision missions with the supervisor, the lessor, the’ITAPEL, etc.
- Provide technical support and formative follow-up/supervision of local agricultural facilitators and beneficiaries (households) ;
- Respond to any other task that will be requested in the exercise of its functions by the AWF hierarchy ;
- Write periodic reports (weekly and monthly) of’activities
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in agricultural or related sciences, with experience in agro-industry ; the’ cooperative approach and the’access to markets ;
- At least five years of experience in different contexts of protected’s in Africa, as well as in the development of value chains, preferably food chains ;
- Have knowledge of biodiversity and/or protected areas (PA) protection, as the project supports communities and/or/or the populations bordering the hunting zone of Bili Uele ;
- Good knowledge in design, strategy, management of’organisations ;
- Proven experiences in different participatory methods ;
- A willingness to move regularly on the ground with partner organizations and to carry out quite long stays on the territories of the province of Bas Uele under basic conditions ;
- A good command of the French language (written and oral) ;
- Knowledge of the local languages of Lower Uele (lingala and La Pazande) and is an asset to interact with key players
- Mastery of’informatique ;
- Very good writing skills for reports, analytical and synthetic.
- Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
How to apply
Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements and skills, should apply through the link by June 10, 2024
