Vacancy Announcement
ETHIOPIAN AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION AGENCY
Position: Senior Technical Expert, Soil Health and Fertility Program
Term of Employment: Fixed term
Duty Station(s): Addis Ababa
Required Number: One
Salary & Benefits: Competitive
Application Deadline: September 13, 2015
BACKGROUND:
The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) has been established by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to identify and address systemic bottlenecks to Ethiopia’s agricultural development. The Agency does this through problem-solving, implementation support, and capacity building of stakeholders involved in implementation of interventions that address the systemic bottlenecks. The Agency reports to a Transformation Council chaired by the Prime Minister and whose co-chair is the Minister of Agriculture.
The programmatic focus of the Agency responds to a core set of needs identified by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Transformation Council. Within the Agency, issues are divided into three different groups: Production and Productivity which includes Inputs and Crop Protection, Livestock, Research and Extension, Mechanization and Rural Finance; Agribusiness and Markets including Market Infrastructure & Services, Commercial Farming, Agro-processing & Market Development, and Cooperatives Development; and Environmentally Sustainable and Inclusive Agricultural Growth including Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Land Management, Gender Equality and Nutrition, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, and Planning and MLE. Across the programs, the ATA engages public, private and non-governmental stakeholders to support strategic planning, manage and strengthen implementation capacity and test innovative models.
Our Culture
We have an exceptional team of employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented individuals are committed to doing their best and work together to achieve excellent results.
At ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our people and are committed to providing our employees with the tools and training necessary to achieve their career goals.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Soil Health and Fertility Program is promoting the use and adoption of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) practices among smallholder farmers and creating an enabling environment for farmers to adopt the practices in an efficient, equitable and sustainable manner with partner institutions. ISFM is a means to enhance crop productivity while maximizing the agronomic efficiency (AE) of applied inputs, and can thus contribute to sustainable intensification of smallholder agriculture. ISFM consists of a set of best practices, preferably used in combination, including the use of appropriate germplasm, the appropriate use of fertilizer and of organic resources, and good agronomic practices. The large variability in soil fertility conditions within smallholder farms is also recognized within ISFM, including soils with constraints beyond those addressed by fertilizer and organic inputs. A key activity here is using participatory and adaptive research to develop, validate and disseminate ISRM technology packages tailored to major agro-ecologies. In addition, the program supports the development of soil test based fertilizer recommendation and fertilizer bulk bending facilities that produce targeted fertilizer types to resolve local level nutrient deficiencies.
The Senior Technical Expert is expected backstop these activities to build healthy, productive soils in Ethiopia and to translate systemic outputs into measurable change in the smallholder farmers. In addition, s/he will be expected to possess a passion for improving the lives of small-holder farmers, a deep familiarity with Ethiopia’s agricultural system and extensive knowledge of soil systems and fertility. S/he would likewise possess the entrepreneurial ability to visualize transformation, to mobilize stakeholders across the system and to drive practical change on the ground. S/he will also possess exposure to complex fertilizer and integrated soil fertility management research.
This position will officially report to the Project Team Leader of EthioSIS and shall maintain working relationship with the soil health and fertility director of ATA. The position will be a twelve-month contract position with high likelihood of extension.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES: