AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION/PRACTICES SPECIALIST

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.

Description

Purpose: The Agricultural Production/Practices Consultant will provide leadership to the Malawi INVC project activities in support of improved agricultural productivity. He/she will build on the framework and activities undertaken to date, add new approaches as needed, and work with the productivity team and partners in the field in accomplishing this mission. The Agricultural Production/Practices Consultant will work closely with the INVC Chief of Party to ensure all activities adhere to the project strategy and work plan. Tasks include, but are not limited to the following: Tasks & Responsibilities: Quickly review the Production assumptions and plans Evaluate activities and achievements to date identifying areas of strength to build on Identify areas of weakness and propose corrections Identify possible knowledge and technologies of relevance Visit and assess farmer fields, field trials, seed multiplication sites, model farms and other field based activities supported by the project.    Propose/advance new approaches and project activities to improve the productivity of Malawi INVC target crops.   Propose a plan for managing and overseeing crop production and productivity methodologies data collection, protocols, assessments, analyses, evaluations and reporting through the life of the project. Contribute to regularly scheduled and on-demand reports during the consultancy period Contribute in the area of improved productivity to the development of the project performance management system that reflects USAID standards and best practices in areas such as data and indicator quality, baselines, targets and performance reporting. Contribute to assessing INVC’s progress towards achieving project objectives using the PMP data to review actual results against Results Frameworks. Contribute to developing strategy to communicate performance information on  a regular and timely basis, and as required by USAID/Malawi Any other activities assigned to, and agreed to, with the INVC Chief of Party. Supervisory Responsibilities: supervisory responsibilities for agricultural productivity focused field agents. Be responsible for providing training and mentoring of the field agents.   Reporting: The Agricultural Production/Practices Specialist will report to the INVC Chief of Party. Provide technical direction to the INVC work planning for component implementation and meeting of component objectives. APPLY