Field Officer

Purpose of the Job

• As a Field Officer, your role is to work closely with coconut farmers to ensure that appropriate farming knowledge and practices are implemented to obtain maximum sustainable production. You will be responsible for providing technical assistance, advice, and support to coconut farmers assigned to you.
• You will work closely with farmers to identify and address agricultural issues, and promote adoption of good agricultural practices, and new technologies and innovations that can help sustain and improve coconut productivity and quality.
• You will also be required to build strong relationships with farmers supplying the company, ensuring that the company is constantly aware of the evolving needs of its smallholder farmers, and that the company is offering solutions to meet these evolving needs in an effort to drive and grow farmer loyalty to to the company and implement the approved yearly work plan.
• In this role, you will work closely with the buying clerks to ensure that the coconut requirements of the company are met in terms of quality and quantity.

Roles and Responsibilities

Farmer Activities

• Work with farmers to establish accurate records of their farm size, no. of trees and estimated annual yield. Ensure that this information is correct through constant farmer visits and follow ups.
• Execute the approved yearly work plan in order to establish and maintain good working relationships between the Company and the farmers. Onboard new farmers on behalf of the company ensuring integrity of information recorded.
• Conduct farmer visits as per the approved work schedules by your supervisor. Visit all the farmers assigned, monitor farm activities and submit reports of each visit as per the template prescribed by your supervisor. These reports in aggregate form the harvest plan which provides an accurate forecast of the projected yield against which strategic decisions are made.
• Provide monthly reports against targets set in the work program, and as requested by the FEP supervisor. Conduct capacity building/trainings through incorporation of modern extension delivery methods like digital extension on the following:
• Agronomy/Good agricultural practices and climate smart production practices
• Farmer groups formation and management
• Organic farming practices and fair-trade compliance
• Attend all scheduled staff trainings and development courses
• Implement programs that support smallholder farmers in maximizing productivity and drive loyalty to the company. These programs include:
• Advance programs
• Seedlings programs
• Trainings
• Yield monitoring and setting
• Identify model farmers, select and establish demonstration farms for learning purposes
• Monitor prices, other buyers' activities and report on the changes in the market to your supervisor
• Identify and document any risks, whether environmental or otherwise, that may result in changes to forecasted production levels from smallholder farmers.
• Mobilize farmers to attend meetings, workshops and trainings organized by the company. Ensure follow up with farmers who did not attend the group training and share a report.
• Mobilize and train buying clerks, harvesters and collectors on quality, documentation and soft skills when relating with farmers.
• Implement the budget issued by the Agriculture Services Manager as per the annual work plan for the scheduled activities.

Others

• Update the office on external partners' activities and engagement at the village level. When needed, attend events as advised by the office and give feedback as required.
• Take part in data gathering exercises as required by the management
• Attend the monthly farmer engagement reviews as planned by your supervisor:
• To discuss the work plan
• Previous month performance vs targets
• Current month targets (financial and non-financial), timelines and milestone objectives.

Metrics

• Smallholder Farmer Suppliers (Active small holder farmers as a % of the total)
• All relevant data required of smallholder farmers
• Develop quarterly harvesting schedules
• 100% farmer visit on a quarterly basis
• Maintain the group(s) assigned to you;
• 100% farmer training attendance across at least two trainings annually
• 100% supply of projected coconuts to to the company
• 80% collection of advances within guidelines set in the policy achieve 100% of the target in farmers recruitments
• 90% accuracy to yield projections - within reasonable conditions
• 100% coverage on harvesters, buying clerks and collectors training.
• Accurate and timely monthly reports as per approved templates and work plan

Requirements

Key Skills

• A Diploma in Agriculture
• Two years of work experience
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of farming practices including GAP, Climate smart farming techniques.
• Computer proficiency: Moderate computer skills, particularly Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint
• Ability to communicate effectively with people across all literacy levels.
• Ability to use smart gadgets in data collection and doing surveys
• Confident public speaker
• Willingness to spend long hours in the field riding and walking in the farms.
• Ability to speak fluently in English and Swahili
• Motorcycle riding experience with a valid license