{IFDC,WA-Upper West Region,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,28 Feb-2014};

The Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) Project will address Ghana’s complex value chain issues, focusing on using technologies to improve the seed sector, and will identify sustainable solutions leading to increased competitiveness in the rice, soybean and maize value chains. The expected outcome is an increased availability and use of agricultural inputs and technologies to increase and sustain agricultural productivity in Northern Ghana.

Specifically, the project will focus on improving public institutions’ and private sector businesses’ capacities to introduce new technologies to Ghana’s agricultural sector—focusing on the seed sector while working with other stakeholders in Ghana’s agro input sector.  By encouraging the introduction and adoption of sustainable technologies, the ATT project aims to increase productivity and profit margins for agricultural producers throughout Northern Ghana.

Successful technology adoption will require stakeholders to approach agriculture as a business, increasing revenues while decreasing expenditures (especially labor costs).  These technologies will strengthen Ghana’s productivity in the agricultural sector and will need to be effectively and efficiently introduced to create a sustainable private-sector supply while also creating a demand for these new technologies via information dissemination, trainings, and other collaborations.

Position Summary

The Regional Technical Manager (RTM) is responsible for providing support  to partners in the Upper West Region and parts of the Northern Region with whom ATT have signed MOUs. The RTM will be responsible to make sure that agreed upon workplans are followed and that demonstrations and trials are done in compliance with developed protocols and that any monies disbursed to the partners are used in the appropriate and agreed upon way. The RTM will on a continous basis be on the look out to identify other partners and opportunities in the rice, soybean and maize value chains where the project could make a further impact. The RTM will develop good working relationships with other projects or institutions active in the area.

The RTM reports to the Organization Development Advisor (ODA).

Coordination and planning

•   Plan and coordinate all activities with local partners such as demonstrations and trials of new technologies. The RTM will achieve this through regular meetings with partners on an individual or collective basis.

Technical and programmatic management

•   Assist the ODA in developing work plans for organizing development activities, budgets and project-specific plans.
•   Ensure all project indicator targets and deliverables are being achieved and are reported on in the required format.
•   Provide hands on support to partners, lead farmers and SMEs, and improve backward and forward linkages in the value chains. These include, but are not limited to:

o   Supporting and assisting farmers and SMEs to operate in a business and market, profit-driven manner, amongst others by developing business plans that do not depend on government support and undertaking market analyses, as well as through trainings and/or coordinating trainings and workshops.
o   Support market linkages for farmers and SMEs, both in terms of direct sales and through reliable wholesalers and agro dealers.

•   Ensure gender, child labour and environmental considerations are included in value chain development activities for the ATT project.
•   Coordinate with other technical staff to implement project support activities.
•   Identify and propose potential Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), including working with other staff to develop MoUs with partners whenever needed to clearly identify roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in project collaborations.
•   Work closely with consortium partners (IFDC, CDI, ISU, GAABIC and other local public institutions and private businesses) while they implement activities in the region.
•   Prior to project activities develop a project methodology for each activity (identifying the activities’ objectives, methodology, intended outcomes, participants (actors), date, and required budget).
•   After project activities develop an activity (trip) report that draws conclusions from the activity based on the methodology developed prior to the activity—this report should summarize the outcome, any challenges and how to overcome them for future similar activities (lessons learned), necessary follow-up activities, M&E indicators (including lists of participants if relevant), and identifying the way forward.
•   Assist with the submission of information for weekly and quarterly reports of activities, including technical reports or notes (including text and pictures) with a strict respect of deadlines.

Communications and outreach

•   Collaborate with the Communications Specialist, management team and other colleagues as needed to develop outreach materials.
•   Be pro-active in suggesting the development of success stories, case studies and other Public Relations documents, and provide the Communications Specialist with all data and information needed.
•   Ensure good quality pictures with captions are available to highlight key achievements and activities of beneficiaries in the country.
•   Represent the project at relevant national events while liaising with partners on an individual or collective basis on an as-needed basis.

Finance and Administration

•   Assist in the identification and development of ideas for grants for partnering institutions and businesses under the ATT project.
•   Assist in the development of activity budgets whenever needed and in compliance with IFDC and ATT’s policies, regulations and procedures.

As well as any other assignment that the supervisor deems necessary for the success of the project or contribution to the work of IFDC as a global institution.

Location: Upper West Region

How To Apply For The Job

The RTM will be supervised by and report to the ATT Organization Development Advisor.

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications in the form of a letter of a one page letter and current CV describing their experience, qualifications and three references by email to:-

hrtamale@gmail.com

Closing Date: 31 January, 2014

Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.

{Confidential,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,28 Feb-2014};

An international development project working to increase and sustain agricultural productivity among select crop value chains in Ghana is searching for qualified candidates to become the project’s Seed Business Coordinator and project’s Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) coordinator for an initial 2 – year contract, with the possibility to extend based on performance. This will be a full-time position based out of Tamale and will be required to work throughout the three northern regions

The project will support various actors along the targeted value chains in Ghana including producers, agro-input dealers, agricultural enterprises, private sector actors involved in seed and fertilizer production and distribution, research institutions / laboratories, as well as government and regulatory bodies responsible for creating and maintaining an enabling environment for a dynamic agricultural sector.

Requirement (Non-Negotiable)

Qualification Required & Experience

•   At least Master degree in a relevant field of sciences such as crop science, plant pathology, agronomy, other degrees of agricultural orientation, and/or development or business orientation with hands on agricultural experience and knowledge
•   A minimum of seven years of work experience in agricultural projects in Ghana and/or in Sub-Saharan Africa
•   Experience in private sector development and facilitation of public private partnerships
•   Ability to design and facilitate multi-stakeholder processes and institutional innovation processes
•   Affinity with capacity strengthening and facilitation of trainings
•   High level communication and writing skills and sensitivity towards cultural differences
•   Excellent English language skills (written and spoken)

Position Summary

The Seed Business Coordinator is responsible for providing support to emerging seed companies and organisation of the seed platform and related public-private partnership activities. S/he will be the change agent to support the transformation of seed producers into seed companies, create strong market linkages and improve the collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in the seed sector. The seed business coordinator will:

•   Coordinate relevant activities and meetings, including preparations, organisation and follow-up on agreed actions
•   Coordinate the support activities to seed producers and seed companies through business plan development, market analyses and BDS provision

Duties

In addition to the two primary pillars of responsibilities above, the Seed Business Coordinator will:

•   Able to coordinate the activities of all project partners on components of the seed-related activities
•   Able to serve as principal advisor to project partners for the design and implementation of seed production practices being used and promoted
•   Provide hands on support to seed producers and companies, and improve backward and forward linkages in the seed chain.

These include, but are not limited to:-

•   Supporting and assisting seed producers and companies to operate in a business and market, profit-driven manner, amongst others by developing business plans that do not depend on government support and undertaking market analyses, as well as through trainings and/or coordinating trainings and workshops
•   support market linkages for seed producers and seed companies, both in term of direct sales and through reliable wholesalers and agro dealers, creating direct relationships with breeder or foundation seed producers, expanding the variety portfolio of seed producers and seed companies
•   Facilitating a seed sector platform among seed sector stakeholders to ensure systemic bottlenecks are being solved. Systemic bottlenecks include: quality assurance, variety release (available and soon-to-be available), seed chain coordination (breeders, foundation, certified seed), public-private partnerships for development and (exclusive) use of newly release varieties, and marketing issues (fake seeds, labeling).
•   Operationalize and support implementation of the seed platform recommendations by piloting new arrangement, follow up studies and business ideas. Facilitation of learning among seed sector stakeholders, implementation of learning activities and contribution to the development of learning networks
•   Work with team members and partners to develop technical content of training materials, informational brochures, etc. on new seed technologies and/or practices introduced via the project.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications in the form of a one page letter and current CV describing their experience, qualifications and three references by email to:-

hrtamale@gmail.com

Closing Date: 31 January, 2014

{Confidential,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,28 Feb-2014};

An international development project working to increase and sustain agricultural productivity among select crop value chains in Ghana is searching for qualified candidates to become the project’s Seed Business Coordinator and project’s Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) coordinator for an initial 2 – year contract, with the possibility to extend based on performance. This will be a full-time position based out of Tamale and will be required to work throughout the three northern regions

The project will support various actors along the targeted value chains in Ghana including producers, agro-input dealers, agricultural enterprises, private sector actors involved in seed and fertilizer production and distribution, research institutions / laboratories, as well as government and regulatory bodies responsible for creating and maintaining an enabling environment for a dynamic agricultural sector.

Requirement (Non-Negotiable)

Qualification Required & Experience

•   At least “Master degree” in a relevant field of sciences such as crop science, soil, agronomy, other degrees of agricultural orientation, and/or development or business orientation with hands-on africultural experience and knowledge
•   A minimum of seven years of work experience in agricultural projects in Ghana and/or in Sub-Saharan Africa
•   Experience in private sector development and facilitation of public private partnerships
•   Ability to design and facilitate multi-stakeholder processes and institutional innovation processes
•   Affinity with capacity strengthening and facilitation of trainings
•   High level communication and writing skills and sensitivity towards cultural differences
•   Excellent English language skills (written and spoken)

Position Summary
The coordinator will facilitate partners to take the following key approaches to improving soil fertility management:

•   The introduction, demonstration, and adoption of conservation agricultural practices by partners farmer customers / beneficiaries
•   The private sector supply of new technologies to targeted crop markets
•   Working with partnering organisations, including research institutions, to identify adoptable and scalanle agricultural technologies and farming practices that will improve farmers abilities to manage their soils fertility.

The Coordinator will need to work with the project team and partners to identify the above approaches and identify partners with whom the project will be able to facilitate these activities. It will be the cordinator’s role to ensure the technical content and abilities of the project’s partners that conform to the project standards

Furthermore, his/her responsibilties will require the coordination of no-farm farmerled demonstrations of new production technologies and practices throughout the project region

Duties

In addition to the three primary pillars of responsibilities above, the coordinator will:

•   Able to coordinate the activities of all project partners on components involving integrated soil fertility management
•   Able to serve as principal advisor to project partners for the design and implementation of soil fertility management practices being used and promoted
•   Understand partners approach to introducing conservation agricultural practices and/or ISFM-related technologies to farmers and identify areas how the project can work together to improve and/or expand adoption of these practices and technologies
•   Work with team members to provide technical advice on relevant ISFM activities
•   Work with team members and partners to develop technical content of training materials, informational brochures, etc on new ISFM technologies and/or practices introduced via the project
•   Work with team members and partners to identify conservation practice techniques to be introduced, researching and developing strategies on which are adoptable and scalable in northern Ghana for the targeted crops of maize, rice and soy.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications in the form of a one page letter and current CV describing their experience, qualifications and three references by email to:-

hrtamale@gmail.com

Closing Date: 31 January, 2014

{Confidential,Northern Ghana,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,31 Jan-2014};

A reputable firm is seeking to fill the following vacant position:- Agriculture Production Officer

Job Location: The APO is based at one of the three Regional Offices in North Ghana

Responsibilities:

•   The APO employs the appropriate technical strategies and methodologies to achieve maximum benefits toward improved agricultural production in maize, rice and soybean.
•   Links demand-driven technical assistance and training to farmers/farmer organisations and other value chain actors including, but not limited to, processors, aggregators and buyers in the agricultural value chains

Qualification Required and Experience

•   Minimum of BSc degree in agriculture or related field Advanced working knowledge in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint presentation and internet/email use
•   Not less than 2 years work experience

Abilities & Skills

•   Ability to prepare written reports of technical nature
•   Superb organisational skills, possess utmost discretion, judgement and professionalism.
•   Ability to work with minimal guidance and management priorities and workflow
•   Good judgement with an ability to make timely and sound decisions
•   Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions
•   Strong analytical, organisational research and problem solving skills
•   Dependability and strong work ethics are essential
•   Ability and willingness to travel

Location: Northern Ghana

How To Apply For The Job

Kindly send your application with CV to:-

prasante35@gmail.com   or   yabdeam@hotmail.com

Closing Date: 22 January, 2014

{Confidential,Nationwide Recruitment,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,31 Jan-2014};

We are a fast growing company operating in different industrial sectors and require the services of committed and capable individuals to fill the vacancy below: Agric / Farm Officers

Qualification Required and Experience

•   Have qualification /or experience in relevant field
•   Have positive mental attitude and can do spirit
•   Must be well groomed

Location: Tema, Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, HoeHoe, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Techiman, Dawhenya and Obuasi

How To Apply For The Job

Please send CV and cover letter (with the position applied for as the subject title) to the HR via email address:-

nyarko1980@yahoo.co.uk   

or contact

0543-355927  or 0230-712828 for further information

Closing Date: 28 January, 2014

{Association of Church Development Projects,Tamale,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,31 Jan-2014};

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The ultimate outcome of this 6-year project is to enhance food security and resilience for poor male and female smallholder farmers (35% male/65% female) and their households in the three northern regions.  This ultimate outcome is to be achieved through increased, diversified and more equitable agricultural production; and increased, diversified and more equitable incomes and assets.

This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

ACDEP, a local NGO, is currently recruiting for the position of Crops Specialist for a project in northern Ghana.  The incumbent will work out of the project office in Tamale, Northern Region.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Crops Specialist is directly answerable to the project’s Deputy Director (based in Tamale). He/she is responsible for leading and coordinating the crops strategy and related agricultural activities within the project and to provide timely, relevant information and support to project stakeholders. This includes working in close collaboration with other project specialists and staff based in the Tamale and regional offices (including climate change adaptation/environment, monitoring and evaluation, gender equality, livestock, marketing and income generating activities specialists) to ensure a holistic approach is used within the project.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Scope of work

•   Review existing production and market activity data on crops grown in the northern regions, and crops that could potentially be grown. Identify gaps in knowledge. Identify high income earning market opportunities;
•   Develop and maintain good working relationship with relevant Ministries/Departments and agricultural research organizations in the northern regions;
•   Together with the project’s climate change adaptation/environment specialist, marketing/IGA specialist, gender specialist and project beneficiaries, assess the suitability, sustainability and marketability of proposed crop production in the targeted areas and advise project staff on suitable crops/varieties to be supported by the project for both men and women;
•   Working closely with the marketing and IGA specialist, as needed, assess and identify capacities and needs of project staff and implementing organizations on various aspects of crop production, post-harvest management techniques; design and deliver appropriate training courses;
•   Assess and identify the capacities and needs of the targeted communities in various aspects of crop production; design and facilitate appropriate training;
•   Provide support and guidance to crops officers based in the regional offices;
•   In collaboration with the project’s monitoring and evaluation specialist, support baseline data collection for the project and regular monitoring of indicators;
•   Support the development of annual work plans and budgets, including annual milestones;
•   Support crops officers based in the regional offices in preparing progress reports to ensure timely, high quality reporting to the donor and other project stakeholders;
•   Ensure efficient use of project resources; and
•   Document, in collaboration with the organization’s Documentation and Publication Unit, information on crops grown by the project, results and lessons learned.

Qualification required and experience

•   Master’s Degree in Agriculture or related field.
•   Minimum of 8 years work experience in crops production, preferably with a variety of crops in northern Ghana.
•   Experience in building capacity of staff and project beneficiaries in crop production and post-harvest management techniques, in both formal and informal settings.
•   Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
•   Experience in developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies in agriculture and livelihoods is considered an asset.

REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

•   Strong leadership skills, facilitation skills, interpersonal skills with colleagues and project beneficiaries.
•   Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues and collaborators from different organizations/government ministries.
•   Knowledge of principles and practices of gender equality.
•   Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; knowledge of other languages commonly spoken in the northern regions is an asset.
•   Basic computer skills (word-processing, presentations, spread-sheets).
•   Willingness to travel throughout the northern regions.

Location: Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Suitably qualified persons are invited to submit a covering letter detailing how their work experience and academic qualifications meet the requirements described above; their CV; and 3 professional references no later than January 27th, 2014 via e-mail to:

jobsapplications@yahoo.com

Please indicate in the subject line of the email, the position title being applied for.

•   The principles of employment equity are followed.
•   Suitably qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
•   While all applicants are thanked for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Closing Date: 27 February, 2014

{Association of Church Development Projects,Tamale,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,31 Jan-2014};

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The ultimate outcome of this 6-year project is to enhance food security and resilience for poor male and female smallholder farmers (35% male/65% female) and their households in the three northern regions.  This ultimate outcome is to be achieved through increased, diversified and more equitable agricultural production; and increased, diversified and more equitable incomes and assets.

Job Summary

This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

ACDEP, a local NGO, is currently recruiting for the position of Aquaculture Specialist for a project in northern Ghana.  The incumbent will work out of the project office in Tamale, Northern Region.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Aquaculture Specialist is directly answerable to the project’s Deputy Director (based in Tamale). He/she will be responsible for developing and leading the implementation of the aquaculture sector and related activities within the RESULT Project.

He/she will be required to closely collaborate with key relevant stakeholder institutions and private sector players to provide capacity building and technical support for implementation of fisheries/aquaculture production, processing and marketing activities with project beneficiaries.

The incumbent will work in close collaboration with other project specialists and staff based at the Tamale and regional offices (including climate change adaptation/environment, monitoring and evaluation, gender equality, livestock, marketing and income generating activities specialists) to ensure a holistic approach is used within the project.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Scope of work

•   Review existing project information and source additional primary information from relevant stakeholders in the operational regions and districts to facilitate and focus project interventions design.
•   Develop and maintain good working partnership with relevant Ministries, agricultural research Institutions, NGO and private sector organizations in the northern regions to enhance project implementation and results.
•   Undertake an assessment of aquaculture (production, processing, marketing) potential, opportunities and facilities in the project area; design and plan specific intervention activities and select beneficiaries based on gender considerations.
•   With the technical advice of relevant RESULT Specialists and Regional Coordinators, facilitate and coordinate action research activities in collaboration with key institutions such as CSIR-WRI and Fisheries Commission.
•   Assess and identify the capacities and needs of key stakeholders and targeted communities in aquaculture production, processing and marketing; design and facilitate appropriate training and provide/facilitate on-going technical support for activity implementation.
•   Assess and facilitate project beneficiaries’ access to relevant gender-responsive technologies and inputs by for production, processing and marketing.
•   Support the development of annual project work plans and budgets, including milestones.
•   Based on annual project workplans, develop quarterly sector-specific work plans and budgets for approval; provide sector quarter, semi-annual and annual reports for the consolidated project plans and reports.
•   Collaborate with the M&E specialist to design tools and undertake data collection on sector activities to enhance regular M&E and project management.
•   Participate and contribute to regular project reviews and planning workshops, as well as staff training activities.
•   Document relevant information, processes, field outcomes and lessons to contribute to the project’s knowledge management, learning and up-scaling.

Qualification required and experience

•   Master’s Degree in Fisheries, Aquaculture or related field.
•   Minimum of 8 years work experience in fisheries/aquaculture and research & development, preferably with experience working with rural small-scale farmers.
•   Experience in building capacity of staff and project beneficiaries (both men and women) in fisheries and aquaculture in both formal and informal settings.
•   Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

•   Strong leadership and facilitation skills and interpersonal relationships with colleagues and project beneficiaries.
•   Self-motivated and high initiative with ability to work under minimum supervision.
•   Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues and collaborators from different organizations and government ministries.
•   Knowledge of principles and practices of gender equality and participatory development.
•   Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; knowledge of other languages spoken in the northern regions is an asset.
•   Basic computer skills (word-processing, presentations, spread-sheets).
•   Willingness to travel in northern regions and work in deprived rural communities.

Location: Tamale

How To Apply For The Job

Suitably qualified persons are invited to submit a covering letter detailing how their work experience and academic qualifications meet the requirements described above; their CV; and 3 professional references no later than January 27th, 2014 via e-mail to:

jobsapplications@yahoo.com

Please indicate in the subject line of the email, the position title being applied for.

•   The principles of employment equity are followed.
•   Suitably qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
•   While all applicants are thanked for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Closing Date: 27 February, 2014