Job Description

VACANT POSITION: Project Field Officer

Advertisement date:  April 4th 2024

Closing date: April 17, 2024

Reporting to: project manager

Duration: 1 year with the possibility of extension and based on Performance

Location:   Erigavo and frequently Traveling Burao

About ADO

ADO is one of the leading NGOs in Somalia/Somaliland and implements crop, livestock, fodder, and fish production projects supporting the poor households impacted by climate change-associated shocks. Furthermore, ADO has provided resilient livelihood opportunities, climate change adaptation, and mitigation for rural communities through SMART agriculture programming and dryland farming and empowered women while creating a women-owned small business that generated huge incomes through self-help groups. Further, the ADO implements emergency and recovery programs to build the resilience of rural communities through conditional and unconditional cash and input support.

The ADO specializes in food security, WASH, environmental conservation, resilience, emergency, rural education, agriculture extension, and research programs; and has reached 1.2 million people across Somalia over the past seven years. ADO has its Head Office in Hargeisa. Besides, regional branch offices in Burao, Borama, Odwayne and Erigavo. Furthermore, the ADO has a presence in Southern Somalia.

However, the ADO will implement the Darwin Initiative project, which is a long-term project (2022_2027) funded by the Darwin Initiative Institute through the Development Fund of Norway (DF), where the Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) has the ground implementation. The main goal is to improve seed, food and livelihood security of Agri-pastoralist households in Somaliland. The Project will build resilience in three communities through improved access to quality seeds, improved soil and water management, increased awareness of farmers' rights, and increased capacity for the sustainable use and management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture among community members and government officials/institutions, and promotion of policies.

However, the ADO will implement the Darwin Initiative project, which is a long-term project (2022_2027) funded by the Darwin Initiative Institute through the Development Fund of Norway (DF), where the Agricultural Development Organization (ADO) has the ground implementation. The main goal is to improve seed, food and livelihood security of Agri-pastoralist households in Somaliland. The Project will build resilience in three communities through improved access to quality seeds, improved soil and water management, increased awareness of farmers' rights, and increased capacity for the sustainable use and management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture among community members and government officials/institutions, and promotion of policies.

The ADO is committed to continuing the seed banking initiative for seed genome saving and biodiversity conservation, a practice through Community Seed Banking (CSB) that farmers and their families have engaged in for millennia. It has allowed them to cultivate different local varieties that have adapted to different environmental conditions and changes, such as water shortages, strong winds, limited soil nutrients, etc. In this regard, community seed banks can help farmers to access seeds to grow crops during the next planting season, or they can be used as an emergency seed supply when their crops are damaged and destroyed, for example, due to crop failure.

As climate change significantly impacts agricultural production, growing local varieties, which have a high degree of genetic diversity, is highly important because these varieties can better withstand and adapt to environmental stresses and changes. Setting up community seed banks may help farmers to acquire varieties that are adapted to local conditions; these varieties may not be accessible through formal seed systems, may be costly or may suffer from erratic supplies. In that case, it can help them access seeds for the next planting season and provide them with an emergency seed supply in times of crisis, thus making them less dependent on formal seed systems.

Community seed banks will help preserve seeds of the most adapted varieties for the region, either local varieties or new ones from breeding programs. The selection of the most appropriate varieties for a region needs time and trials with technical support. Still, after identifying the best varieties, the community seed bank plays a very important role in maintaining the availability of quality seeds. Seed diversity is enhanced, and additional income is generated when seeds are exchanged and sold to neighbouring communities. Diversification of crops and varieties is also highly important in terms of people's food security because it reduces the risk of total production failures and strengthens communities' resilience. While ADO is a partner of the Norwegian Development Fund, the DF is looking for highly qualified field officers and agronomists for the Darwin Project, titled "Improved Food and Livelihood Security and Access to Quality Seed for Agro-pastoralists" (ILSA). Field officers collaborate closely with Beer Village community seed bank members and other new seed banks that will help established the Erigavo Sanag region in Somaliland

Scope of work

The project officer will work on the effective implementation and delivery of project activities with a focus on improving the seed, food, and livelihoods of agro-pastoralism in Somaliland. The duty station of the project officer will be Erigavo, with frequently Travel Burcoa. A key responsibility of the project is mobilizing community seed bank members, conducting testing of the collected seeds to demonstrate the seed quality, including seed germination, seed health, seed purity, and adaptability to the local conditions, and enhancing linkages between farmers and community seed banks.

Roles and responsibilities; -

• Promotes sustainable farming systems in farmer communities to improve the long-term use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. It also uses strategies to fix up the farming land of the farmers, who are the focus of the project.
• Conduct practical field demonstrations, seed collection, testing, and conducting field days.
• Staff organize and draw project fieldwork plans on a monthly basis in consultation with the ILSA project manager and another project.
• Assisting the project manager in the identification of needs for training, income generation initiatives, and other agricultural gaps at project sites.
• Through farmer advocacy and mobilization, provide and improve seed security in terms of availability, access, farmer choice (seed diversity), and seed quality at the village level.
• Give the committee in charge of running the community seed bank tasks to do with finances, scheduling, making sure meeting minutes are written down correctly, and helping with the proper recording, storing, cleaning, and testing of seeds.
• Participate in multi-studies such as seed security assessment, market assessment, and visibility studies.
• Getting people to use dryland agriculture innovations like sustainable rain-fed dryland farming, conservation agriculture, natural resource conservation, holistic management of biodiversity, sustainable income-generating alternatives, and a climate-smart agriculture approach.
• Regular field visits help farmers improve their agronomic practices and demonstrate the seed ban.
• Closely with ADO teams such as meal, logistics, procurement, finance and program.
• To represent ADO in meetings taking place at the project sites.
• Perform any other duties assigned by a project manager.
• Prepare regular weekly, monthly, and comprehensive quarterly progress reports for the project manager.

Experiences and Qualifications

• Required educational level: Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Science, Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation, Environment, Dryland Farming and Agriculture, and Food Security.
• Prior experience related to community seed bank management, seed production, establishing demonstration farms, and farmer training
• Excellent track record for rural community development, such as farmers' rights, gender mainstreaming, children's rights, and community mobilization skills.
• Knowledge for field work such as seed selection, crop production, and seed testing.

Other skills.                      

• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Excellent project implementation and analytical skills
• Computer literacy and skills 
• Good leadership skills
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Solid knowledge of humanitarian principles and values
• Managerial experience includes organizing, supervision and reporting
• Out-of-standing workshop, capacity building, and teaching skills.
• Fluent in English, spoken and written.
• Knowledge about experimental research.

Skills Required

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