Vacancy: Farm Enterprise Advisors

Job Description

Agromite Limited is looking to hire Farm Enterprise Advisors to create and manage relationships between AGROMITE LIMITED and its small holder farmers (SHFs).

Job Summary

The Farm Enterprise Advisor (FEA) is the last mile connection between the AGROMITE LIMITED and smallholder farmers (SHFs) ensuring communication with SHFs and from SHFs is regular. The SHFs are responsible for cultivating targeted crops profitably as agreed upon between them and AGROMITE LIMITED.

The FEA works closely with management of AGROMITE LIMITED to provide training to farmers on crop agronomy, and support AGROMITE LIMITED deliver bundled farm inputs and services for production and aggregate produce for marketing, regularly reporting on the cultivation of SHFs’ crops/performance. There are other activities that FEA must facilitate as the crop season and/or calendar year ebb and flow. To ensure the FEA plays his/her role effectively, her/his activities are closely monitored, supervised, and managed by FEA manager.

 Specific Tasks

1. Identify and recruit enterprising SHFs, with the support of the community representatives, to commit to and participate in the Agromite Limited’s SHF Productivity and Profitability Improvement Programme. (SHF-PPIP)


2. Develop and agree on crop production calendar for targeted group(s) of SHFs in accordance with the Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP


3. Contribute to the development of SHF enterprise advisory plan in accordance with the Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP


4. Contribute to the development of a performance contract and administer the performance contract to each SHF and their respective groups under the Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP.


5. Train participating SHFs in the Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP on production of the focus crops covering the following topics:Farm site selection, soil fertility and crop suitability assessment
   
   
   
   • Suitable timing for pre-planting/preparatory and other season activities, e.g., land clearing
   
   
   • Farm layout and land preparation
   
   
   • Recommended planting distances for focus crop(s)
   
   
   • Crop protection including weed control
   
   
   • Crop nutrient deficiencies and appropriate application of fertilizers
   
   
   • Scouting/pest and disease identification and control
   
   
   • Integrated pest management
   
   
   • Harvesting, and market access services including postharvest handling, sorting, grading, packaging, and preparation for marketing
   
   
   
   


6. Train SHFs participating in the Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP on Agromite Limited’s Farming as A Business (FAB) a well-structured decision-making model. The FAB analysis provides information for four important points: (i) food security (food stock obtained from that crop); (ii) land productivity (yields and total production); (iii) profitability (total cost, total income, gross profit, gross profit per unit of land and simplified gross margin); and (iv) financial return on family labour (family labour utilised, gross profit for each man-day of family labour). The training will also cover the following topics:


7. Farm enterprise selection based on the FAB analysis


8. Difference between producing for the market and production for self or home consumption


9. Factors that constitute and/or contribute to making crop production a successful farm enterprise


10. How to make a farm enterprise productive and profitable
    
    
    
    • Farmers’ own activities, behaviours, perceptions (actions and inactions) that contribute to the success or failure and/or profitability of farm enterprise
    
    
    • Tools, resources, and support availability in local communities that can contribute to farm productivity and profitability and how to look for and use these resources
    
    
    • Basic product market considerations
    
    
    • Basic farm enterprise related financial literacy
    
    
    • Key elements and principles of the Agromite Limited/SHF relationship
    
    
    • Key roles, expectations, and obligations in the Agromite Limited/SHF relationship
    
    
    
    


11. Liaise with the Agromite Limited’s Management to determine suitable schedule and distribute inputs to farmers for production


12. Monitor and supervise SHFs’ farm cultivation at every stage of the crop cycle and report biweekly in accordance with schedule of reporting agreed with Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP Manager. Failure to meet the schedule of report will lead to forfeiture 50% of the monthly allowance for that particular month.


13. Monitor SHF farm related business activities and outcomes, e.g., amounts and cost of resources used, keep appropriate records in writing and/or digitally, and submit periodic, e.g., biweekly/monthly reports to Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP Manager


14. Report any challenges immediately to Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP Manager, if an appropriate response is not received within a reasonable time, follow up and find out why from Agromite Limited’s SHF-PPIP Manager


15. Analyse and organise data obtained from field monitoring and supervision and general observation of SHF activities in reports in such a way that it will facilitate management decision making, e.g., activity monitored, supervised and/observed; identified problem, weakness or challenge from the performance of the activity; cause of and reasons that account for the problem, weakness or challenge; recommendations for addressing the problem; etc.

Required Skills or Experience

• A good degree in Agriculture or business administration


• A working experience with smallholder farmers and development partners


• Good inter-personal relationship and proven team leader


• Ability to work under difficult conditions to meet stringent deadlines


• Ability to take initiatives


• Highly proficient in computing including MS Office Suite


• Knowledge of basic agronomy and crop and livestock production systems.


• Self-motivation and commitment to achieving excellence.


• Sound judgment with excellent decision-making, influencing and negotiation skills.


• Communication skills to work with company’s leadership to meet operational needs and objectives.