Agricultural Experiential Learning Training Specialist

Job Posting – Mid level position – short term contract assignment

Advertise for three weeks time

 

Category: NGO/Development

 

CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)

 

No. of Vacancies:1

 

Agricultural Experiential Learning Training Specialist

 

Job Description

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) - Bangladesh is seeking aAgricultural Experiential Learning Training Specialist to assist our team of scientists and field trainers who work to improve the livelihoods farmers in Bangladesh. The consultant will work in a temporary, goal-oriented consultancy position as part of the EU funded Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project (ANEP) and the USAID funded Cereal Systems for South Asia Mechanization and Irrigation (CSISA-MI) Project in Bangladesh.

 

Agricultural training activities in South Asia often follow a lecture format whereby well-educated experts instruct farmers in how to better grow, harvest and market their crops. This is useful for reaching large numbers of farmers in a short time; however, there are doubts as to how much information farmers retain over the long term, and how many crop management recommendations they adapt and/or adopt in their own fields when trainings consist only of a brief lecture. For more complex crop management recommendations and techniques to be taken up by farmers, trainings are more successful when they are conducted in a discussion and workshop format where farmers are encouraged to interact with the trainer, ask questions, work with their own hands to experiment with and trial new agronomic techniques, and discover what type of crop management works best in different fields. This is especially the case where farmers and agricultural service providers are being trained in the use of new farm equipment, machinery, and crop planting and management techniques. This type of “experiential” or “discovery” learning builds farmers’ capacity to make well-informed crop management decisions that respond adaptively to soil, water, pest and other production challenges and opportunities.

 

The consultant to be hired for this position will work to develop experiential learning curricula and training modules that focus on trainer to agricultural service provider, and service provider to farmer discussion, discovery, and experiential learning to improve service providers’ and farmers’ abilities to better manage their crops in Southern Bangladesh. Modules will focus on learning how to operate irrigation pumps, manage irrigated dry season crops, and small-scale agricultural machinery that speeds up planting and harvest, while responding to labor scarcity, and allowing farmers to practice conservation agriculture techniques.

 

Specific Responsibilities

• Work with CIMMYT and other scientists in National Research and extension Institutes, as well as private sector partners, to collect technical information on best crop management practices  and the use of small-scale machinery for the efficient production (including conventional and conservation agriculture based crop management) and harvesting of of maize, wheat, rice, soybeans, mungbean, lentils, chickpea, and sunflower in Southern Bangladesh.
• “Translate” this highly technical agronomic information into simple lesson formats to be deployed throughout the cropping season, forming the basis of experiential learning and discovery learning training modules for farmers and agricultural service providers operating planting and harvesting machinery.
• Work with CIMMYT’s NGO partners to develop smart business models that can be used by agricultural service providers operating planting and harvesting machinery to benefit farmers. Translate this information into lesson formats so that service providers can improve their business and negotiation skills to assist smallholder farmers.
• Develop and write training modules (including interacting with cartoonists and artists to develop graphical training manuals for low-literacy audiences, experiential-learning based training modules, possibly posters and flip-charts, etc.) in collaboration with CIMMYT’s scientists and associated staff. Training modules will focus on management of the above-mentioned crops, as well as efficient use of agricultural machinery and irrigation equipment.
• Pre-test and evaluate draft modules in the field with farmer, local service provider, and private sector collaborators.
• Rewrite the modules based on farmers’ feedback in the field before delivering them as a final product. Develop a training of trainer program to implement use of the modules in the field. The end goal is to publish a series of training modules that can be used by CIMMYT and our development and training partners in the future.

 

Required Qualification, Experience, and Ability/Skills• At least an M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree in agricultural extension or communication, agricultural science, agricultural machinery, and/or a proven track record working with successful agricultural training projects reliant on extension and communication to effectively reach farmers and encourage behavior change.
• The successful candidate will have a strong technical background in agricultural science and a demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical messages regarding crop management in simple, and easy to understand formats for farmers, local service providers.
• At least 5 years of working experience in organizing formal and informal training programs for a range of stakeholders, including farmers, local service providers, extension workers, NGOs, and private sector, etc. Prior experience in South Asia would be beneficial.
• Demonstrated experience developing training curricula or workshops for Farmer Field Schools or similar experiential learning formats.
• Demonstrated experience with participatory and experiential learning based approaches to increasing farmers’ and local service providers’ capacities to adaptively manage crops and agribusinesses.
• Familiarity with agricultural machinery, conservation agriculture, and resource conserving technologies in rice, wheat, maize and legumes is necessary. The modules will focus initially on best management practices for these crops, and machine based planting, irrigation, and harvest to respond to labor shortages and to improve farmers’ abilities to practice conservation agriculture based crop management.
• Knowledge of South Asian farming systems, with an emphasis on Bangladesh, is desirable.
• Strong communication, team building and report writing ability with fluent spoken and written English. Non-native English speakers will be asked to complete a language examination before the start of the contract.
• Demonstrated organizational capacity and ability to plan effective and timely delivery of required deliverables.
• Excellent computer skills, knowledge of standard communications and productivity software is essential (e.g. MS Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, etc.). 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to function within multi-disciplinary teams.

Additional Details for Both Vacancies:

Contract terms:  The terms of this consultancy will be negotiated after interview with the candidate. The position is likely to be for a period of about 6 months.   

 

Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The position will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with at least 50% of work time in the initial months dedicated to extensive field travel within Bangladesh and nearby countries, possibly including India and Nepal.

 

Consultancy Range: Negotiable based on experience

 

Application Instructions:

Applicants must submit a letter of introduction explaining your qualifications as they relate to the specific responsibilities listed above, academic transcripts, and full curriculum vitae (CV) via e-mail by close of business on 21 August 2013. Applicants who have developed experiential learning modules or training materials are encouraged to send these materials for review as part of their application. All applicants must title all of their application materials with their last name followed by “CIMMYT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING”. Please send the application to Mr. Dhon Raj Lama (d.lama@cgiar.org) at CIMMYT-Bangladesh Office.

Applicants must enclose his/her passport-size photograph with CV.