Extensionist 35 views0 applications

CESVI has been active in Ethiopia since 2018, implementing programs across multiple regions with a focus on strengthening community resilience and supporting humanitarian response in areas affected by climate-related and socio-economic shocks. Its initiatives promote climate-smart agriculture and agroforestry to improve smallholder productivity and food security. These efforts include introducing resilient crops such as sorghum, promoting moringa and legumes, improving soil health, and facilitating environmentally sustainable farming practices.

CESVI also invests in strengthening local value chains by supporting producer associations especially women and youth groups and linking them with micro-enterprises for processing and market access. By combining technical expertise with community engagement and academic partnerships, CESVI advances inclusive development aligned with global sustainability goals.

A key intervention, “She-F.E.R.A. (Moringa): Economic Chains for Resilience Food in Ethiopia,” financed by AICS Rome, uses a systemic, resilience-oriented approach. The project integrates moringa with sorghum and beans to promote resilient food systems, empower women and youth, and strengthen connections between farmers and local markets. Through improved extension services, resilient crop inputs, and integrated agroforestry systems, the project enhances soil fertility, increases production volumes, diversifies diets, and boosts household incomes ultimately reducing vulnerability to climate shocks.

PROMOSSO builds upon these approaches to deliver comprehensive, sustainable, community-centered resilience solutions.

Job summary:

The Agricultural Extensionist is responsible for the day-to-day field implementation of agricultural extension and agribusiness-related activities under CESVI projects. Reporting to the Agribusiness Coordinator, the position provides direct technical support to farmers, producer groups, and community structures on improved agricultural practices, climate-resilient and nutrition-sensitive production, post-harvest handling, and basic agribusiness principles.

The role requires strong community engagement skills, solid practical agricultural expertise, and the ability to facilitate learning through demonstrations, trainings, and continuous field follow-up. The Agricultural Extensionist also supervises Community Facilitators, ensures quality implementation at community level, and integrates gender equality, safeguarding, and environmental sustainability across all extension activities.

Responsibilities:

Field-Level Agricultural Extension and Farmer Support

• Conduct regular field visits to farmers, producer groups, model farmers, and cooperatives to assess agricultural practices, challenges, and training needs.
• Provide hands-on technical guidance on moringa, legume, and sorghum cultivation, including soil fertility management, pest and disease control, irrigation, post-harvest handling, and sustainable climate-resilient practices.
• Support farmers to adopt nutrition-sensitive, agroecological, and market-oriented farming techniques.
• Promote adoption of improved practices to enhance productivity, product quality, and consistency aligned with market requirements.

Training, Demonstrations, and Capacity Building

• Organize and facilitate farmer trainings, field demonstrations, farmer field schools, and peer learning sessions based on seasonal calendars and project plans.
• Provide technical supervision to Community Facilitators and model farmers in the implementation of trainings and farm activities.
• Support the development and dissemination of extension materials (manuals, leaflets, visual aids) adapted to local contexts and literacy levels.
• Strengthen Farmer Training Centres (FTCs) and local extension staff skills to ensure sustainability of project interventions.

Group Formation, Community Engagement, and Market Linkages

• Facilitate the formation, strengthening, and follow-up of farmer groups, self-help groups, women’s groups, youth groups, and processing units.
• Guide Community Facilitators in mobilizing farmers, women, youth, and vulnerable groups, ensuring participatory approaches in beneficiary targeting and community awareness campaigns.
• Support Community Nutrition Days, school-based nutrition events, and local awareness-raising sessions.
• Support market linkages for farmers and processing units, including guidance on business skills, record keeping, GMP, food safety, and value chain integration.

Monitoring, Reporting, and Data Quality

• Supervise field-level data collection on agricultural production, adoption of practices, and beneficiary participation (disaggregated by sex and age).
• Review reports from Community Facilitators and ensure timely submission of accurate weekly, monthly, and quarterly updates.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits to assess community engagement, input use, and progress toward project objectives.
• Contribute to documentation of success stories, challenges, and lessons learned.

Cross-Cutting Issues and Coordination

• Ensure gender equality, youth inclusion, and participation of vulnerable groups in all extension activities.
• Promote environmentally sustainable practices, climate resilience, and nutrition-sensitive approaches.
• Maintain close collaboration with local government extension agents, agriculture offices, and project partners.
• Uphold CESVI safeguarding, PSEA, and code of conduct policies, reporting any concerns through appropriate channels.

Other Duties

Carry out any other tasks related to agricultural extension and project implementation as assigned by Agribusiness Coordinator.

Essential requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Extension, Agronomy, Agriculture, Rural Development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of relevant experience in agricultural extension, farmer training, or livelihoods programming, preferably with NGOs or development projects.
• Practical experience working with smallholder farmers, agro-pastoral or pastoral communities.
• Willingness and ability to work extensively in rural and remote field locations.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Amharic; knowledge of local project area languages is a strong asset.

Desirable

• Experience in climate-smart agriculture, dryland agriculture, or sustainable farming practices.
• Familiarity with farmer group formation, cooperatives, or value chain development.
• Experience working in resilience, food security, or humanitarian–development nexus projects.

Other Skills & Competencies:

• Strong communication and facilitation skills, especially with community members.
• Practical, solution-oriented approach to agricultural challenges.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good reporting and basic data collection skills.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in diverse communities.
• Basic computer skills (MS Word, Excel).

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:

Starting date of collaboration: March 2026

Duty station: South Ethiopia Regional State, Konso Zone (Karat Zuria District) and Gardula Zone (Derashe District)

Duration: One year with possibility of extension

SAFEGUARDING:

CESVI adopts a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harm, abuse, or exploitation of children or vulnerable adults by its staff, associated personnel, or partners.

Our commitment to being a safe and protective organization begins at the recruitment stage. CESVI’s hiring process includes rigorous vetting procedures such as criminal record checks and disclosure of previous convictions to ensure the safeguarding of children and vulnerable individuals and to prevent any form of misconduct. These safeguarding checks form an integral part of the staff selection and performance evaluation process.

For further information regarding CESVI’s safeguarding and protection policies, please refer to the relevant organizational documents or contact the Safeguarding Focal Person.https://www.cesvi.eu/who-we-are/transparency/our-policies/