Agronomic & Post-Harvest Consultant

Date Posted: Nov 05, 2022

Job Detail

Location:

kabul
Type:

Contract
Shift:

First Shift (Morning)
Career Level:

Experienced Professional
Positions:

1
Vacancy number:

AFN-1287
Experience:

10 Year
Gender:

Any
Salary:

As per Company salary scale
Degree:

Masters
Apply Before:

Nov 10, 2022

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About Roots of Peace/AMP

About Roots of Peace/AMP:

Roots of Peace is a humanitarian organization whose mission is to rid the world of landmines and other remnants of war by transforming toxic minefields into thriving farmland and communities, through a focus on sustainable, organic farming practices. Roots of Peace is implementing the 3-year, USAID-funded Agriculture Marketing Program.

AMP Project Description:

The Agriculture Marketing Program (AMP) is a three-year USAID-funded program that follows on the successes of the ten-year USAID Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP). The program works in 12 provinces of Afghanistan, focusing on increasing farm production and domestic sales through interventions aimed at farmers and agribusinesses. During the first two years of the program, AMP worked with leading Afghan processing and export firms to increase export volumes and values, introduce new agricultural products to the market, diversify export markets and increase value-added processing. The program's market-based, demand-driven approach focused on supporting private sector growth and sustainability, thereby creating demand for agricultural products that drive job growth in rural areas. Women are incorporated into all areas of program implementation.

In its final fiscal year of implementation, AMP has pivoted to an approach that addresses food security challenges precipitated by the emerging economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. This approach comprises three key strategies:

Connecting Farmers to Domestic Markets
Increasing Value-Add of Agriculture Products, Extending Shelf Life of Products
Support for Remote Rural Areas

Activities include:

Increasing farm productivity and food security through Farmer Field Schools and other activities aimed at building farm capacity.
Expanding the number of agricultural products through value addition and product diversification, such as processed jams and sulfur dried apricots.
Linking farmers with traders, and traders with buyers in domestic markets, such as through domestic food expos and B2B meetings.
Building the capacity of agribusinesses to maximize output and quality for domestic markets.
Supporting initiatives such as improved post-harvest handling infrastructure for traders, including packing houses, cold storage, and improved packaging.
Addressing important supply chain and trade impediments that restrict the sale of high value agriculture products.

AMP works primarily with private sector agribusinesses, farm producers and other USAID-funded agricultural programs. Specific attention is given to support the participation of women and youth in AMP activities.

Job Description

The Consultant will:

Prepare a technical Agronomic & Post-Harvest handling plan for agribusinesses.
Conduct a preliminary agronomic and market assessment for project covering are to identify the best crops in the near future interventions.
Evaluate the best options for district level collection centers in each of CBARD-ALL districts by facilitating detailed discussions between farmers and traders in each district, CBARD-ALL identified 20 locations for establishment of Collection Sites.
Will work directly with farmers and agribusinesses to improved production and supply chain practices, including key practices for production improvements.
Work with Technical team to ensure data is captured correctly reflecting the capacity of the firms visited.
Provide firm-level technical assistance to small-scale agribusinesses in the design and implementation of suitable agronomic practices.
Develop agronomic improvement plans for firms, as described above.
Assist selected companies in determining required processes and management systems to achieve improved production and delivery better food security outcomes.
Assist selected companies in determining guidance in achieving these through alignment of processes and management systems to improve Quality and Shelf-life extension of products for the domestic market.
Perform any other duties assigned by direct supervisor or the Management.

Tasks & Responsibilities:

Tasks include, but not limited to the following:

Evaluation of best options for collection centers as well as best crops and market linkages to be expanded on in 2023.
Evaluate the best options for district level collection centers in each of CBARD-ALL districts and make recommendations specific to each district on location, design, equipment and ownership.
At least 5 CBARD clients provided assistance in developing, implementing, maintaining market linkages and postharvest improvements.
Supporting regional staff and businesses in agronomic/postharvest handling and training material development.
Identification of at least 5 CBARD clients that will be for grantees for cold storage investment.
Conduct at least 5 training sessions for wholesalers, and processors on post-harvest handling, cold chain, GMP, and food safety related topics.
Technical review of agronomic and post-harvest handling materials.
Identify the best potential crops to replace poppy production in each of the districts visited.
Delivery of training materials developed during the consultancy
Delivery of Gross Margins created for the range of crops assessed
Developing presentations on post-harvest handling and cold chain management of apples, grapes, pomegranates and others as appropriate.

Job Requirements

Desired Education:

Master’s Degree in Science or Agriculture.
At least 10 years general experience in Crop production, Harvest and Post-harvest management and systems development, and agribusiness development.

Experience & Skills:

Post-Harvest experience with Apples, Grapes, Pomegranates, potatoes, and onions is highly desirable as well as dried products such as nuts, grains and pulses.
Agronomic expertise in a wide range of annual and perreniual crops including asefoetida, seeds, spices and medicinal crops

Working Conditions including Travel:

Consultant will perform the Services as an independent consultant, and not as an employee of ROP, in that the Services to be provided require Consultant to exercise independent judgment as to the time, place, manner and method of performance to accomplish the objectives desired by ROP. Consultant is not to be considered an agent or employee of ROP for any purpose, and no joint venture or principal-agent relationship exists or will exist. Consultant and its employees are not entitled to any of the benefits that ROP provides for its employees. Neither ROP nor Consultant shall have any right, power, or authority to create any obligation, express or implied on behalf of the other.
During the work assignment, the consultant will be based in Kabul and may be required to occasionally travel to other provnices in Afghanistan.

Skills Required

Submission Guideline:

Applicants should copy and paste the relevant Vacancy Announcement Number and Position Title into the email subject line when submitting their application. Applications received without VA Number and ROP-Biodata-form will not be considered.

Please download the ROP-Biodata-form through below link, fill and send it along with your CV:

https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=15BhnnC2t548JzQ4U7uXDOyiBop3sO0_9

Submission Email:

CBARD-HR@rootsofpeace.org

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