Programme Officer – Agriculture

CSA India; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 500,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Centre for Sustainable Agriculture in Telangana seeks a Programme Officer – Agriculture to lead planning, coordination, and implementation of agriculture-focused interventions, with emphasis on strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations. The role demands innovative thinking to design context‑specific solutions and a hands‑on approach to capacity building of staff and farmers.

The candidate will engage with government bodies, financial institutions, and market actors, ensuring effective project

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agriculture or related field.
• Minimum 5–6 years of experience in sustainable, organic/natural farming.
• Experience with Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and farmer training.
• Knowledge of soil health, irrigation, and non-pesticidal pest management.

Responsibilities

• Capacity-building sessions for farmers on modern agriculture techniques and post‑harvest practices.
• Plan, coordinate and implement organic/natural farming activities with project timelines.
• Identify innovative solutions and pilot new tools and approaches for farmers.
• Engage with government departments, financial institutions, and market actors for partnerships.
• Monitor activities, document progress, and prepare reports and case studies.

Skills

Innovative Thinking

Communication Skills

Training & Facilitation

Team Coordination

Telugu fluency

Field Mobility

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agriculture or related field

Job description

Upper Age Limit: Below 40 years

No. of Positions: 1

Working Locations: In Telangana; Office based at Hyderabad

Reporting to: State Lead – Telangana

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

About Us

The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) https://csa-india.org/ was established in 2004 with the goal of promoting sustainable food systems that are ecologically, economically, and socially viable. CSA implemented experimental approaches, including innovative practices, processes, and institutions, to build resilience against climate and market risks for farmer households and the primary work of CSA is spread across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra states.

Centre for Sustainable Agriculture is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages women to apply. CSA retains the right to withdraw the advertisement at any point in time without any further notice or explanation.

Job Summary

The Programme Officer – Agriculture will lead the planning, coordination, and implementation of agriculture-focused interventions under the project, with a strong emphasis on strengthening Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). The role demands innovative thinking to design context‑specific solutions, strong communication skills to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, and a hands‑on approach to capacity building of both implementation staff and farmers.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Capacity Building
   • Conduct regular capacity‑building sessions for farmers on modern agricultural techniques, input management and post‑harvest practices.
   • Develop simple, farmer‑friendly training and IEC (Information, Education, Communication) materials.
   • Design and deliver training modules for implementation/field staff on agriculture best practices and project protocols.
2. Programme Implementation
   • Support planning and execution of Organic/Natural farming agriculture programme activities in line with project objectives and timelines.
   • Coordinate with field staff to ensure quality implementation at the grassroots level.
   • Monitor progress of activities and provide on‑ground troubleshooting and technical guidance.
3. Innovation & Problem‑Solving
   • Identify locally relevant, innovative solutions to address challenges faced by farmers and FPOs.
   • Introduce new tools, technologies, or approaches (digital agriculture tools, climate‑smart practices) to improve productivity.
   • Pilot and scale innovative practices based on field learnings.
4. Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
   • Liaise with government departments, agriculture line agencies, financial institutions, and market actors to build partnerships for FPOs.
   • Represent the programme in stakeholder meetings, workshops, and review sessions.
   • Maintain clear and consistent communication with implementation staff, farmers, and project leadership.
5. Monitoring, Documentation & Reporting
   • Track key performance indicators related to FPO strengthening and farmer capacity building.
   • Prepare periodic progress reports, case studies, and success stories.
   • Support monitoring and evaluation processes, including data collection and field assessments.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Innovative Thinking: Ability to design creative, practical solutions suited to local farming contexts.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication, ability to simplify technical concepts for farmers and field staff.
• Training & Facilitation: Experience in conducting participatory training sessions and workshops.
• Team Coordination: Ability to work with and guide field/implementation teams.
• Local Language Proficiency: Fluency in Telugu is required, working knowledge of English and Hindi preferred.
• Field Mobility: Willingness to travel extensively within the project area.

Desired Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agriculture or a related field.
• Minimum 5‑6 years of experience in sustainable, organic/natural farming.
• Strong knowledge of soil health, seed systems, irrigation, and non‑pesticidal pest and disease management.
• Experience in working with farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), conducting training, and providing technical support.
• Familiarity with modern agricultural technologies and field research.