Agriculture / Agronomy Officer

Position Objective

• The Agricultural Officer supports the design, and leads the coordination and technical implementation of sustainable, climate-smart, and market-oriented agricultural activities under the EU-INTPA project.
• The role enhances productivity, soil health, efficient water use, and resilience for host and refugee communities, while applying Market Systems Development (MSD) principles through market linkages, agro-dealer networks, enhanced value chain performance, and private-sector engagement aligned with climate-smart agriculture.

Purpose

• Lead field-level delivery of climate-smart agricultural and livelihood activities, ensuring productivity, soil health, and resilience improvements.
• Provide technical guidance to farmer groups, irrigation cooperatives, agro-dealers, and other value chain actors.
• Ensure quality implementation, beneficiary targeting, registration, and support distribution.
• Contribute to market-system development by strengthening linkages with traders, cooperatives, private sector, and extension services.
• Integrate gender-transformative approaches, including ensuring meaningful participation of women farmers, promoting shared decision-making in agriculture, and encouraging women’s leadership in producer groups.

Engagement

• Coordinate community-based targeting and verification in line with EU-INTPA criteria.
• Support establishment and strengthening of livelihood groups (vegetable producers, irrigation users, sharecroppers, compost makers, agro dealers).
• Deliver regular agronomic training on backyard gardening, pest management, water-efficient irrigation, integrated soil fertility management, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Facilitate demonstrations, trials, and introduction of innovative farming practices.
• Strengthen crop value chains and market linkages, including local aggregation and input supply networks.
• Coordinate with research institutions, government offices, private sector actors, and civil society partners.
• Support peacebuilding and conflict-sensitive programming within agricultural activities.

Job Requirement

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Plant Science, Crop Science, Crop production, or a related field from a recognized university.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience for BSc in agricultural production, extension services, irrigation agronomy, or livelihood projects.
• Proven experience working with smallholder farmers and agricultural value chain actors.
• Strong hands-on experience in farmer capacity building and provision of field-level technical support.
• Practical experience in irrigation agronomy, backyard gardening, fruit and vegetable production.
• Experience working with NGOs or humanitarian organizations is required.
• Previous experience in refugee and host community settings is required.
• Experience working in Gambella or other disaster-affected areas of Ethiopia is an advantage.
• Experience with EU-funded or donor-funded programs is an asset.
• Good understanding of climate-resilient agriculture, crop value chains, and market-based approaches.
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles, conflict sensitivity, and cross-cutting issues.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and report-writing skills.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Good knowledge of the Gambella regional context.
• Ability to communicate in the local language is an added advantage.

Delivery

• Ensure timely distribution of agricultural inputs and technical follow-up with beneficiaries.
• Monitor crop performance and provide timely advisory services to reduce losses and improve yields.
• Support M&E processes, documentation of lessons, and preparation of reports and knowledge products.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, project quality standards, and organizational procedures.
• Promote gender-responsive and inclusive agricultural practices at all stages of implementation.
• Maintain effective coordination with the community development facilitator and provide technical direction as needed.
• Represent DCA in camp coordination meetings, government meetings, workshops, events, and monitoring and evaluation activities within the operational area.

Skills Required:

• Agricultural / Studies