Agronomist – Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM)

Job Description

The Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) is a relief and developmental arm of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, under the Social Development Directorate.  CADECOM works to create awareness and empower disadvantaged men, women and the youth at all levels to undertake sustainable and integrated development that is gender and environmentally-sensitive and which promotes justice, and human dignity with the active participation of the people themselves to attain their destiny. Thus CADECOM is contributing to the efforts of the Malawi Government to achieve integral human development by implementing development projects throughout Malawi, in line with the Catholic Social Teaching.

CADECOM of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe is one of the 8 Catholic development commissions in Malawi, covering seven districts of Kasungu, Ntchisi, Dowa, Salima, Mchinji, Nkhotakota and Lilongwe in the Central Region of Malawi. CADECOM Lilongwe Archdiocese has received funding from Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)-Dan Church Aid (DCA) Joint country program to implement the IMPROVED LIVELIHOOD AND RESILIENCE FOR SMALLHOLDER PRODUCERS (GIFT CATALOGUE) project in T/A Mponela in Dowa District and T/A Kalumo in Ntchisi district and would like to recruit 2 project agronomists as follows:

Job Title:                                           Agronomist

 Job Purpose:                                     To promote the adoption of sustainable agroecological practices and goat integration in the project impact area, with a strong focus on Food Security and land restoration.

Organisational Relationship:        Under the Direct Supervision of the Archdiocesan CADECOM Coordinator

Location:                                           1 Ntchisi 1 Dowa

Major Tasks and Activities

• Coordinate actual implementation and reporting of the project activities.
• Mobilize communities in the catchment area.
• Build Capacity for farmer groups (incubators and producer groups) in good crop husbandry practices, value addition and post-harvest handling for value chains.
• Ensure Cross-cutting (gender, diversity, HIV and AIDS and environmental) Issues are effectively taken on board in all program plans and activities.
• Identify, investigate, verify and document success stories, and lessons learnt in all project interventions.
• Prepare and submit activity, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual and other reports
• Collect required information/data relating to the programme as demanded from time to time
• Participate in development of viable project proposals for CADECOM and the Diocese
• Undertake any other duties as may be assigned from time to time;

Requirements

• A Bachelors degree in agriculture, forestry, Animal Science, development studies, with emphasis in rural development, project management or any relevant field.
• At least three to five years of professional experience in implementing/managing integrated development programming, with knowledge of practices in monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience in the area of Agriculture Extension, Landscape Management and Restoration, Climate-Smart Agriculture.
• Excellent oral and written analytical communication skills, strong interpersonal skills, good judgment and commit to CADECOM’ mission.
• Computer literate (MS Office), must be competent in the use Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training.
• Willingness to travel extensively to the project sites to interact with stakeholders and project participants.
• A committed Christian.

What we are looking for

• Achievement-Oriented: You work tirelessly and complete the task at hand even among unforeseen shocks and surprises. You believe that both positive and negative experiences will lead to learning and growth.
• Change Maker: You will support smallholders as they climb out of poverty and become successful commercial producers of food
• Leader: You will be happy to spend most of the time in the field, leading farmer meetings, supporting farmers implement project interventions

Application Mode:

Candidate meeting stated requirements should send a cover letter, along with copies of academic certificates and Curriculum Vitae with three traceable referees to:

The Human Resource Manager,

Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe,

P.O. Box 631,

Lilongwe.

Or

Hand-delivered to the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe, Maula Cathedral

Or

Send via email to hrm.llw.archdiocese@gmail.com with copy to recruitment@cadecomll.org

Deadline for receiving the application is 31^st July 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.