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Agronomist– Integrated Land Resource Governance Project (ILRG), West Bengal

Updated 7/11/2019

 

Tetra Tech International Development Services headquartered in Arlington, VA is currently accepting expressions of interest from qualified candidates for an Agronomist position on a USAID and PepsiCo co-funded program in West Bengal, India. Only Indian nationals may apply. Because of the sensitive nature of the position working closely with women’s self-help groups and women farmers, women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

Position Description/Summary: The purpose of the Agronomist position is to provide strategic support to design and implement agronomic activities and provide technical support using gender and women’s empowerment approaches and tools in three districts of West Bengal, India for USAID and PepsiCo. The position will be full time, based in one of three districts in West Bengal (Bankura, Hooghly or Bardhhaman), for an initial period of one year, with the potential for an extension up to four years.  The position requires significant (up to 75%) travel in 15 or more rural pilot communities (per district).

 

Responsibilities:

* Reviewing existing PepsiCo extension and outreach materials and suggest revisions or develop new stand-alone materials designed to reach women, and discuss with PepsiCo India staff;

* Developing curriculum and training materials for PepsiCo staff and training PepsiCo India staff, Control Union agents, and others as requested, and subsequently updating and adapting materials as needed based on participant feedback;

* Reviewing training materials, deliverables, and other written materials to ensure that agronomic principles and practices are technically sound, and that gender and women’s economic empowerment are well-integrated into agronomic materials;

* Developing and implementing agronomic training programs with women’s self help groups and women potato farmers;

* Supporting project monitoring and evaluation to ensure it is gender-responsive and includes indicators aimed at capturing the project’s agronomic outputs and outcomes, including yield, profitability and productivity;

* Working with other project and partner staff to ensure that agronomic best practices are used, and successful activities and methodologies are well-documented and disseminated;

* Overseeing baseline and endline tools, assessments and learning with regards to the impact of women’s economic empowerment on agronomic indicators and performance;

* Coordinating training events using Adult Education and Communication/Participatory Action Learning System (PALS) tools and approaches and Empowered Entrepreneurship Training tools to train women and men in each pilot community. This may involve directly leading the process or coordinating a subcontract with existing practitioners, in close coordination with the Gender and Women’s Economic Empowerment specialist;

* Developing key messages and content for creative communications tools to reach women with relevant agronomic messages in their daily activities, and work with local subcontractors to ensure communications tools help improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to potato production and PepsiCo’s Sustainable Farming Practices;

* Contributing to an analysis of PepsiCo agronomy and women’s empowerment partnership opportunities in target districts and communities;

* Ensuring that USAID environmental monitoring and mitigation policies, tools, and best practices are applied throughout project activities;

* Staying up-to-date on existing and new agronomic approaches, tools and best practices, and identifying those which might be incorporated into the pilot program; and

* Carrying out other appropriate activities that will contribute to project success, as requested by the ILRG Country Coordinator or Task Manager.

 

Qualifications:

* Bachelors’ Degree in agronomy, crop production, or similar field.

* At least 1 - 3 years’ experience implementing agriculture development programs in rural areas in India (may include family farming experience and internships).

* Demonstrated passion to work in rural communities, engaging Women’s Self Help Groups and women potato farmers, including women and men from a variety of different backgrounds.

* Ability to multi-task, use new technology and successfully promote innovation.

* English and Bengali language skills required.

* This position is only open to Indian citizens. Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

 

*CA ARDc