Regenerative Agriculture Advisor (Nigeria)

TechnoServe is hiring a Regenerative Agriculture Advisor in Nigeria to enhance the skills of farmers in maize, sorghum, rice, and soybean cultivation through regenerative practices. The role involves providing technical support, gathering market intelligence, and overseeing extension agents. This position is based in Kano, Nasarawa, and Niger States and aims to improve the resilience of smallholder farmers and local SMEs through climate-smart agriculture.
Job Title:
Regenerative Agriculture Advisor (Nigeria)


Project:
Strengthening Farmer and SME’s Resilience through Climate Smart Production and Accessing the Structured Markets in Nigeria (StreFaS)


Reports to:
Program Manager
Location:
Kano, Nasarawa, and Niger States, Nigeria
Number of positions:
1
About TechnoServe:
Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.
The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development.


But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty.


The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they can access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.


Job Summary: The Regenerative Agriculture Advisor (RAA) will work under the supervision of the Program Manager (PM) in Kaduna, and Nasarawa States to upskill maize, sorghum, rice, and soybean farmers through extension agents on regenerative agriculture. S/he will also provide technical support to facilitate change of behavior of farmers from conventional agriculture to regenerative and climate-smart agriculture.


In addition, s/he will gather market intelligence, monitor performance and provide guidance to clusters of aggregators and manage partners to achieve project objectives. The tasks outlined below are the key responsibilities of the employee, however, s/he will be expected to perform other tasks that are necessary within the context of the evolving needs of the project.


Program Overview: Strengthening Farmers’ and SMEs’ Resilience through Climate Smart Grain Production and Accessing the Structured Markets (StreFaS) aims to develop an inclusive, sustainable, scalable, and adaptable regenerative agriculture solution to make smallholder farmers (SHFs) and local SMEs (aggregators) more resilient and produce low-carbon grains in Nigeria. The three-year project will provide a guaranteed structured market for farmers to produce high quality grains yearly, with a significant quantity of grains produced from environmentally sustainable practices.


The project aims to impact up to 30,000 SHFs directly as beneficiaries of the program. Importantly, StreFaS will sustain and scale up the successful elements of the regenerative agriculture pilot of the recently concluded Developing Inclusive Grain Value Chains in Nigeria (DIGVCN) project.


Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
Project Implementation Phase



Oversee the Extension agents (EAs) and Community Based Advisors (CBAs) and ensure that their capacity is deepened through train-the-trainer sessions and technical handholding.
Take ownership of the upskilling process and behavioral change campaign activities via the learning center.
Support the project manager in developing training materials.
Support the EAs during step-down training and monitor attendance according to the program guidelines.
Take ownership of the learning centers and track farmer engagement activities.
Work with the PM in identifying other partners that will provide complimentary services in programs.
Assist the PM in identifying organizations that would like to offtake produce from the farmers.
Facilitate all monitoring and evaluation activities, surveys and reporting as well as develop success stories and lessons learnt.
Understand, respect and promote TechnoServe’s values, vision, and strategy in the implementation of assigned duties.
Perform other duties in line with the evolving needs of the program.

Basic Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Agriculture, Agronomy, Human Nutrition, Food Science and Technology with a minimum of 2 years’ experience working with and supporting smallholder rice, maize, soybean and sorghum farmers. Alternatively, 4 years’ experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Must have strong interpersonal skills.
Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, and KoBoCollect will be an advantage.