Consultant - Assistant Agronomist

The International Potato Center (CIP) has developed a novel approach that integrates research and development activities aimed at commercializing the Root and Tuber Crops (RTC) subsector (with focus on potato, sweetpotato and cassava). The goal is to increase the subsector’s contribution to food and nutrition security, incomes, job creation and economic growth in Malawi. Funded by the Embassy of Ireland to Malawi, the 4-year project namely ‘Market-led Transformation of the Root and Tuber Crops Subsector (RTC-MARKET)’ started on 1st May 2023 and planned to achieve this through four main objectives: (i) To develop and promote improved RTC varieties, technologies and knowledge to support commercial production, value addition and linkages to domestic and international markets; (ii) To enhance availability and access to quality RTC seed and other inputs; (iii) To increase production of quality RTCs for domestic and export markets and food and nutrition security; and (iv) To increase private sector investment and capacity in commercial processing and marketing of quality RTC value added products for domestic and export markets.

To accomplish its deliverables, CIP seeks to engage the services of an experienced Agronomist consultant who has experience in market/business development model to review and fine-tune the model for driving RTC commercialization as per project focus and, accordingly, assist in developing a comprehensive framework for monitoring and evaluation of transformation and commercialization of the RTC-subsector.

Objective

In executing this assignment, the consultant will undertake the following specific tasks:

• Conduct field days in successful demo plots in conjunction with DAES.
• Conduct progress review meetings with district partners.
• Represent CIP in DAECC and DNCC at respective districts.
• Conduct training of trainers and farmers on seed multiplication, production, harvesting, and marketing of sweetpotato.
• Facilitate formation and build capacity of cooperatives and Farmer groups.
• Compile activity and annual reports.
• Collect data from screen houses and tissue culture lab on production of early generation potato and sweetpotato seed.
• Co-manage screen houses with DARS.
• Promote sweetpotato as a commercial crop.
• Implement and translate research protocols into field experimental design and layout.
• Support scientists to establish on-station experiments to evaluate, validate and demonstrate various technologies.
• Organize technology field days and field evaluation sessions.
• Coordinate with RTC DARS scientists in carrying out research activities.
• Develop action plans to facilitate implementation of experimental activities.
• Contribute to the development of annual work plan, technical reports, project success stories.
• Produce monthly reports on the progress of research activities.
• Train seed multipliers and facilitate seed inspection.
• Train trainers on seed and root production.
• Implement on-farm trials and demos.
• Monitor intervention sites and report writing.

Requirements

• Experience in training of trainers and farmers on seed multiplication, root production, harvesting and storage.
• Facilitate registration and monitoring of Decentralized Vine Multipliers by Seed Service Unit (SSU).
• Lay out of on-station and on-farm field experiments.
• Data collection from experiments, entry and analysis.
• Expert in planning and distributing sweetpotato planting materials in the RTC implementing districts.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience working for donor-funded agricultural development projects.