The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to spread sustainable agricultural solutions for improved soil health, food security, and livelihoods around the world.

IFDC is recruiting for two anticipated projects related to Highland Farming Systems and Climate Smart Jobs in Uganda expected to start in early/mid 2022 – 2026. The proposed projects will work with over 100,000 beneficiaries in the highland areas of the three regions of Elgon, Kigezi, and Rwenzori, in northern Uganda and in other areas relevant to agricultural production and processing of project supported crops.

The proposed project aims to achieve the following main impacts:

• Food security and dietary diversity improved for rural households in the Ugandan highlands, Northern Uganda and other productive regions of the country
• Ugandan smallholder farming households obtain a living income and are sustainably economically resilient
• Eco-efficient farming, making sustainable use of and protecting natural resources
• The agriculture sector offers resource-constrained households a pathway out of poverty
• Creation of jobs and economic opportunities for rural and urban populations with a focus on women, youth and socially and economically disadvantaged persons

IFDC is seeking recruitment for the climate smart agriculture lead for this project to be based in the in Kampala or one of the field offices.

Position Summary

The Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) lead is responsible for designing and implementing the project’s strategy to promote scalable green innovations that increase agri-food value chain actors’(including co-operatives, government extension officers, agro-dealers, tree nursery farmers and other micro-entrepreneurs) resilience and adaptive capacity, foster eco-efficient practices, while reducing businesses’ footprint on the environment. He/she provides support to management to strengthen inclusive business models through partnerships, with a specific attention to the terms of inclusion of resource-constrained households, women and the youth (both females and males) as farmers.

Main Tasks And Responsibilities

• In close collaboration with other project technical staff and collaborators, develop, implement, monitor and document a strategy for the selection, incubation and scaling of inclusive green innovations for the various value chains targeted by the FOSTER project.
• In support to the project managers and other staff, organize gender and youth-sensitive assessments in target farming systems and value chains, including appraisals of climate change risks, environmental impacts, CSA capacity building gaps and other barriers to the adoption and scaling of eco-efficient technologies and practices.
• Assess and adapt tools developed by partners for introducing and scaling CSA practices for farmers, businesses and services providers. Building on existing materials, develop and implement tailored CSA training and coaching interventions targeting households, smallholder farmers (esp. women and the youth), their organizations and other entrepreneurs.
• Coordinate the promotion of context-specific indigenous and new CSA technologies and practices, and green innovations throughout the core- and supplier value chains. A specific attention should be given to innovations that contribute to empowering women and the youth (as farmers, other entrepreneurs and laborers) on-farm and off-farm. Ensure innovations do not increase women’s workload and constraints.
• In close collaboration with IFDC Specialists and other IFDC-led projects, facilitate the introduction and adoption of climate-smart nutrient- and water innovations, reducing nutrient losses and increasing water productivity.
• Promote private investment opportunities for the roll-out of proven cases of best-fit green innovations.
• Report on the progress of the CSA strategy in FOSTER and develop business studies, field stories, fact sheets and other outreach materials. Disseminate evidence-based knowledge products on climate-smart technologies and practices in supported inclusive business models, including investments and Return on investment (ROI) scenarios.
• Develop a close collaboration with other IFDC and donor-funded programs, identify complementarities and synergies in common focus value chains.
• Promote and increase stakeholder capacities in climate smart agriculture (CSA) solutions for smallholder farmers.
• Support the switch by companies, SMEs and others to reorient their products and services to cater for a more climate resilient market for the respective agribusinesses/ value chains.
• Support Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning activities

Supervision and team collaboration

The CSA lead is supervised by and reports to the project manager. She/ he works in close collaboration with project colleagues, other IFDC staff and colleagues from other consortium members.

Position and duty station

The CSA lead is a national position with a duty in the IFDC offices in Kampala or one of the field offices.

The position requires intensive travels (up to 50% of the time) in target regions in Uganda and may require some international travel to other IFDC countries.

Qualification Requirements

This is a senior position that requires highly motivated and self-driven individuals with the following qualifications.

• Holds a master’s degree in Agricultures, agribusiness, international development, natural resources management or any other related course.
• 5 or more years of experience successfully leading management of technical components of complex, results based, international or rural agricultural development programs
• Proven track record with over 5 years of experience in climate smart agriculture methods in rural areas; these include agroforestry, conservation farming, integrated water resource management, energy management etc
• Demonstrated experience (>3 years) in providing Technical Assistance to governments, development partners and private sector on climate smart interventions, including design and implementation CSA projects with particular interest in rural households, women and young people.
• Demonstrated ability to organize advocacy and strengthen the capacity of private sector associations to advocate for a more favourable regulatory environment.
• Demonstrated ability in the concepts, principles, methods and techniques of climate smart sector development activities, including training, capacity building, agribusiness development extension services and the technical activities mentioned above for agribusiness and rural agricultural development.
• Ability to manage partners, sub-contracts and grant making programs with all required reporting requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally in small audience and large audience settings.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required, proficiency in multiple local languages is an asset.