Agronomy Specialist – RICA Farm Management Unit

The Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) is a unique and innovative English language undergraduate institution dedicated to preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders of Rwanda and East Africa. Students at RICA will engage in curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities emphasizing Conservation Agriculture and One Health principles, oral and written communication, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

In an experiential learning environment, students will develop the knowledge and experience necessary for a wide range of careers in agriculture. Students at RICA will experience the six Enterprises including Beef Cattle and Small Ruminants, Dairy, Poultry and Swine, Row and Forage Crops, Vegetable and Tree Crops, Irrigation and Mechanization. Communication, One Health Systems Thinking, and Entrepreneurship are woven throughout the curriculum. All RICA graduates will be innovative problem solvers able to operate farms and ranches, start agribusinesses, assume management roles in cooperatives, NGOs, and other agricultural enterprises, serve their communities as extension agents and technical and policy experts or assume positions of agricultural leadership in Rwanda.

DESCRIPTION

We are seeking to recruit an Agronomy Specialist to support RICA Farm operations and management activities, which include field crops, orchards, and pastures. The candidate should have extensive hands-on experience in practical farm operations in various crops and or fruit tree cropping systems. Essential skills needed are but not limited to; field crops and orchard management, tractor and machine operations, agrochemical handling and applications, and records keeping. The candidate should be able to work independently and efficiently with minimal supervision and should be able to manage farm labor. The candidate should have a passion for agricultural education and willing to actively engage and support students in learning field activities by demonstrating technical farming skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate work activities as planned by Farm management.
• Monitoring and control of allocated resources.
• Record operational data and production (fertilizer, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, planting, harvest).
• Prepare technical reports of activities and production.
• Perform field crop orchard production duties, such as tilling, hoeing, pruning and harvesting.
• Conduct field crops and orchard scouting for diseases and pests.
• Collect orchard crop and pests’ samples for laboratory examination.
• Introduce conservation practices in line with RICA’s goals.
• Supervise pest, disease and weed control operations, including locating and identifying pests or weeds, selecting chemicals and application methods, or scheduling application.
• Maintain agricultural facilities, equipment, or tools to ensure operational readiness, safety, and cleanliness.
• Plan and prepare the land for cultivated crops, orchards by plowing, leveling, and or contouring.
• Operate farm machinery, including tractors, ploughs, mowers, balers, sprayers as directed by management.
• Transplant trees, planting of row crops, forage crops and horticultural plants on cultivated land.
• Determine the germination rates of seeds, plant populations planted in specified areas and yield estimates.
• Supervise activities of farm labor.
• Participate in the planning, purchase, storage, and use of relevant inputs (agrochemicals)
• Collect and organize detailed records of farm operations, including inputs used, machine use, machine maintenance schedules, etc.
• Seasonally evaluate, report and advise on-farm profitability and sustainability.
• Any other relevant task that may be assigned to him/her by RICA Management.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A Master or Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, crop science with at least 5 years of experience as a farm technician or manager.
• Experience operating tractors and other farm machinery.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Fluent in English and Kinyarwanda

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Hands-on experience of at least three (3) years in crop production and farm management.
• Hands-on experience of at least three (3) years in the use of agricultural equipment and machinery (agricultural mechanization).
• Experience and ability to keep detailed records of farm activities and inventory.
• Working experience with small scale farmers.
• Ability to prioritize a busy workload to meet deadlines and targets.

Fill the information required, upload and submit the documents in English to the link provided below.

Please combine your resume/CV with your degree certificate as one PDF file before you upload it.

Submit your CV and Application on Company Website : Click Here

Application review will begin May 17, 2020, and will continue until a successful candidate is identified.

Approved:

Richard B. Ferguson

Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Extension, and Research