Background

Masara N’Arkizi Farmers Association (MAFA) is an association for farmers located in Northern, Upper West and East Regions of Ghana. At the moment Masara holds over 10,000 members and plans to grow even bigger. The association is providing several services to its members including provision of agro inputs on credit via Wienco and Yara, extension services, and offering fair market for extra maize produced from members at a guaranteed price.

Masara is managed by professional staff and on elected Executive Council. Masara therefore is looking to employ Technical Trainers and an accountant who can operate independently.

Masara provides several types of training to staff and members. Field Officers and trainers receive technical training once or twice before the commencement of the cropping year. Members receive extension services delivered by the trainer on a regular basis as a group in the field

Job Title: Technical Trainers

For 2015, Masara has developed a new training strategy and training materials for the training of Field Officers and the training of members. Therefore, Masara is looking for Technical Trainers that can implement the training strategy. The Technical Trainers would be responsible for the training of farmers, as well as field officers, and the updating of training materials whenever needed. The Technical Trainers will report to the Extension Manager. The job will be a fulltime job for a period of 1 year renewable upon achievement.

Required Skills

The Trainers will have the following responsibilities:

•   Train Members and Field Officers in the following fields
1) Technical aspects on cultivation of Maize, Cotton, Soya Bean and Sorghum
2) Association management including what is Masara, services of Masara, responsibilities of members (i.e repayments of loans), leadership, group dynamics, organising meetings, motivating farmers etc.
3) Facilitation and training skills including the social aspects of extension, adult learning, facilitating discussions, questioning, etc it will also be discussed how best technical topics and topices on association management can be transferred to farmers without using class-room style training programmes.
4) Management including planning, record keeping, report writing, and monitoring of results
•   Conduct impact assessments by evaluating the change of behaviour and results among members
•   Update training manuals by whenever needed

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Diploma or Bachelor's degree in agriculture
•   Training and facilitation skills and at least 2 years experience in facilitating training programmes or change processes in rural areas of the Northern Regions
•   Speak at least one of the main local languages of the Northern Regions
•   Excellent oral, written and inter personal communication skills in English
•   Ability to work with minimum supervision and to take initiative
•   Ability and willingness to live in the rural areas of the Northern Regions
•   Young and dynamic with high level of initiative and enthusiasm
•   Capability of riding a motor bike
•   Available to start work on the 1st of March 2015
•   Female trainers are encouraged to apply

Location: Upper West Region

How To Apply For The Job

Interested candidates can send an application letter and curriculum vitae of maximum 2 pages to the following email address below:-

masara@masaranarziki.com

or mail to:-

The Human Resource Manager
Masara N’Arkizi
P.O.Box 724
Tamale

Closing Date: 15 December, 2014