Tanager is an international nonprofit that connects smallholder producers and private businesses to co-create new ways of realizing life-changing economic and social opportunities. Our process builds on years of technical expertise, on-the-ground presence and public/private partnerships to unite economic growth with social innovation. Together, we are ushering in an era of equitable market systems that combine profitability with the power to address urgent challenges in poverty, malnutrition, and gender inequity.
Overview
In 2022, Tanager partnered with the John Deere Foundation to pilot the Imbewu Farmer Development program that would transition smallholder maize farmers from subsistence farming to commercial production. Derived from the Zulu word for “seed,” Imbewu symbolizes growth and potential—values central to the program’s mission. Building on the success of the first program, Tanager and John Deere Foundation are proud to launch the second phase of Imbewu from November 2024 – October 2028. Imbewu II will expand efforts to improve smallholder farmers’ productivity , minimize post-harvest losses, and enhance overall profitability, driving sustainable agricultural development.
Imbewu II offers a continuum of services to support farmers as they progress from subsistence to commercial agriculture. Key components include digital extension, on-farm training through demonstration plots, improving access to finance and markets to maximize block farming initiatives, and more tailored support to commercial-level farmers. Across all activities, the program emphasizes climate-smart approaches, digital extension, gender and youth empowerment, farming as a business, and access to finance. Building on its initial work with 2,760 smallholder maize farmers, Imbewu II aims to support 6,576 farmers, increase yields by 37%, and increase incomes by 68%.
Pursuant to its mission, Tanager is seeking experienced and talented professionals for the position of Agribusiness Advisor (Agronomist) who can provide agronomic and enterprise development support to smallholders and lead farmers for the Imbewu Farmer Development project. This position will be the project point of contact with lead farmers, agriculture input providers, mechanization providers, maize storage facilities, and maize buyers, among others. This position will be based in Mthatha and report to the Imbewu Team Lead.
The term of the contract is annual with the possibility of extension based on a satisfactory performance review.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Project Management
- Manage a portfolio of project activities related to promoting economies of scale for maize smallholder farmers, improve the access to storage solutions and promote a vibrant ecosystem of small and medium enterprises (SME) associated to the maize production sector.
- Support and inform the co-creation process of project activities with local stakeholders.
- Provide timely and accurate technical information to ensure opportune procurement/grant process.
- Collect program data to enable fact-based donor reporting on the intervention’s results and impact
- Prepare activity and technical reports on monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually to the M&E Manager and Project Team Leader.
Technical Support
- Support the co-creation of innovative agricultural production activities with maize sector stakeholders.
- Provide technical assistance to project stakeholders (lead farmers, smallholder farmers, agriculture input providers, mechanization providers, maize storage facilities, and maize buyers, among others) to ensure they follow good agricultural practice (GAP) standards and that they incorporate the provision of technical assistance in their business models as appropriate.
- Support the MEL team capturing key indicators and work with MEL manager to coordinate project data collection to enable fact-based donor reporting on the intervention’s results and impact.
- Conduct and/or facilitate the provision of business management training to SMEs.
- Work with the Team Leader to identify new project stakeholders (i.e., market system actors, lead farmers, smallholder farmers) and ensure their inclusion in the Imbewu project.
- Provide technical inputs to work-plan and technical deliverables.
- Contribute to team learning and knowledge sharing, including documenting best practices and compiling success stories from the field.
Conduct any other relevant activities related to project implementation as may be assigned by the supervisor.
Qualifications:
Education and Experience
- Bachelor or Honors Degree in agricultural science, agribusiness, agricultural extension or related field.
- 5 years of relevant experience in agricultural project implementation promoting smallholder farmers livelihoods
- Experience in the grain production sector will be considered as an added advantage.
- Experience working with an international or local NGO/NPO is desirable.
- Ability to communicate fluently in English.
- Ability to communicate in local language i.e.. Xhosa and Zulu will be an added advantage.
Skills and Capabilities
- Proficiency with MS Office, including Excel and Word and other communication tools (i.e., Teams, Zoom, SharePoint).
- Good organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English & Regional Language
- Willingness to travel within & outside the region as and when required.
To Apply
Please submit your resume to by or before8 th December 2024. Please include the position title in the subject line of the mail. Please submit the resume and related application documents as a single attachment. Please include long-term employment history and any relevant short-term consulting work. Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted. Tanager is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities and people from diverse groups are encouraged to apply. Please be aware that Tanager does not charge any fee at any step of recruitment.
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