IITA-jobs

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Scaling Specialist – Nigeria.

Closing Date: 25th January 2019

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

ACAI is a 5-year project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project is structured around the delivery of appropriate and affordable technologies to sustainably improve cassava productivity in the short and long term in these countries. Working with scientists in the national systems, the private sector, and other development partners in the various countries where the project is implemented, ACAI aims to improve cassava yields, cassava root quality, cassava supply to the processing sector, and fertilizer sales and through these processes engage at least 100,000 households and create a value of at least 27 million USD within the 5-year timeframe of the project in Nigeria and Tanzania.

To achieve this objective, the project is formulated around the following six agronomy-related use cases:
(i) a site-specific fertilizer recommendation decision support tool which targets nutrient management advice based on local soil conditions and crop calendars;
(ii) a cassava fertilizer blending decision support tool which advises on appropriate fertilizer blends for cassava production based on soil fertility conditions, cost of input and potential demand;
(iii) a best planting practice decision support tool which guides farmers in choosing best-suited planting practices for cassava;
(iv) a cassava intercropping decision support tool which recommends intensification options in cassava-based intercropping systems;
(v) a cassava scheduled planting decision support tool which provides recommendations on planting and harvesting date to ensure a more continuous supply of fresh cassava roots to the processing industry; and
(vi) a decision support tool advising on best agronomic practices for high root starch content at harvest for farmers supplying the processing sector.

The project is delivering on these use cases through six major Work Streams:
(i) research on cassava growth dynamics, nutrient and water requirements and responsiveness to inputs;
(ii) development of a geo-spatial cassava agronomy information base;
(iii) production and validation of demand-driven decision support tools for cassava agronomy;
(iv) facilitation of the use of decision support tools to primary and other development initiatives;
(v) capacity development of national institutions to engage in transformative cassava agronomy Research for Development (R4D);
(vi) project governance, management, coordination, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (ME&L).

Position Responsibilities
The tasks of the Scaling Specialist, Nigeria will include:

• Develop and maintain an inventory of partner dissemination strategies and networks in Nigeria and collaborate with the ME&L team to capture relevant data to assess the effectiveness of the dissemination strategies.
• Lead and monitor the implementation of systems for validation of recommendations supplied by decision support tools and associated implementation systems integrated into the activities of primary development partners in Nigeria.
• Align tool functionality and format to the needs and dissemination strategy of these partners based on user feedback.
• Support the development and integration (into partner work plans) of a sustainability plan for the maintenance and improvement of recommendations supplied by ACAI decision support tools; support institutionalization and ‘country ownership’ to implement, manage and monitor the use of the recommendations.
• Create and manage support systems through capacity building and common interest based on partnerships to advance development of and learning from decision support systems.
• Promote the use of ACAI decision support tools (among different gender dimensions) through training events with last-mile delivery partners and extension agents, and integration of tool showcasing within partner-organized grassroot events.
• Coordinate ‘communication flows’ between Nigerian development partners and researchers to ensure development of the DSTs and their dissemination are in line with development partner needs assessment (i.e. ensure project follows a demand-driven approach).
• Support the development and use of appropriate training (and communication) materials and digital tools (in line with partner dissemination strategies) for the promotion and capacity building events.
• Promote the ACAI decision support tools beyond the project’s primary partnerships, to stakeholders within the cassava value chain in Nigeria (addressing various segments of the various chain)
• Coordinate, participate in and organize technical, planning meetings, training workshops, and consultations of experts from stakeholder and partner organizations as required in liaison with the management team.
• Develop partner briefings in collaboration with the Workstream 4 Coordinator.
• Develop partner annual workplans and assist in revision and or development of partnership agreements in collaboration with the ME&L team and other relevant project staff.
• Support the research team in organizing trainings and monitoring with partners for implementation and management of validation activities
• Participate in review and learning reflection workshops to ensure feedback from partners are integrated.
• Engage with the Project Leader, ME&L team and partners to ensure M&E is integrated in the dissemination, evaluation and validation activities to assess project results and obtain timely feedback on the tools’ formats and benefits of recommendations from different gender dimensions.
• Collaborate with Scaling Specialist in Tanzania for effective dissemination of the decision support tools across the two countries.
• Contribute to new proposals for funding.
• Supervise project staff as designated.

Educational Qualifications
The candidate should have a minimum of Master’s degree in any of this fields: Agriculture, Economics; Agribusiness; Technology Adoption or other relevant, justifiable disciplines.

Core Competencies
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in partnership and dissemination.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in scaling innovations within the Research-for-Development agricultural domain in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Proven success in developing and fostering partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders (farmers, extension workers and other service providers, public and private sector entities, national programs), and demonstrated ability to collaborate well across disciplines and with key collaborative institutions and agencies.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multicultural settings.
• A proven track record in successfully managing complex multi-million donor funded projects.
• Experience in rural development and or agricultural research, farming systems and value chain development in Africa.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in the writing and publication of technical documents in relation to the project goals.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Duty Station: Ibadan, Nigeria.

General information: The contract will be for an initial period of two years. IITA offers internationally competitive remuneration package paid in U.S. Dollars.

Applications:
Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head, Human Resources Service. Please complete our online application

Agribusiness Information

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

334 COMMENTS

  51. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t fail me as much as this particular one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, however I truly believed you’d have something helpful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of complaining about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.

  104. I’m impressed, I must say. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s equally educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something that too few folks are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy that I came across this in my hunt for something regarding this.

  108. Having read this I thought it was very enlightening. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to put this informative article together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile!

  114. The very next time I read a blog, Hopefully it won’t fail me as much as this one. After all, I know it was my choice to read, nonetheless I really believed you’d have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of crying about something you can fix if you weren’t too busy seeking attention.

  122. Hi there! I just want to offer you a huge thumbs up for your excellent information you have right here on this post. I’ll be returning to your website for more soon.

  127. I truly love your blog.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m attempting to create my own personal blog and want to find out where you got this from or what the theme is called. Appreciate it!

  132. I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this website. I really hope to check out the same high-grade content by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my very own site now 😉

  141. Right here is the right blog for anyone who wishes to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a subject that’s been written about for ages. Excellent stuff, just excellent.

  152. This is a very good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Simple but very precise info… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read article!

  159. When I initially commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a means you are able to remove me from that service? Kudos.

  180. Hi! I could have sworn I’ve visited this blog before but after looking at some of the articles I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly.

  187. I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this website. I’m hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal blog now 😉

  198. Hi there, I think your website might be having internet browser compatibility problems. Whenever I look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in IE, it’s got some overlapping issues. I simply wanted to give you a quick heads up! Besides that, wonderful site.

  206. A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you should publish more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people don’t speak about these subjects. To the next! All the best.

  227. Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it won’t fail me just as much as this one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, however I genuinely believed you would have something helpful to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something you can fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.

  233. Right here is the right webpage for anybody who wishes to find out about this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that’s been discussed for ages. Excellent stuff, just great.

  252. You’re so awesome! I don’t suppose I’ve read through something like that before. So wonderful to find someone with genuine thoughts on this subject matter. Seriously.. thanks for starting this up. This site is something that is required on the web, someone with a little originality.

  259. When I initially commented I seem to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on each time a comment is added I receive 4 emails with the same comment. Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service? Appreciate it.

  260. I absolutely love your website.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you build this website yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own blog and would like to learn where you got this from or just what the theme is called. Thank you.

  262. Right here is the perfect blog for anyone who would like to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot its almost tough to argue with you (not that I personally would want to…HaHa). You certainly put a brand new spin on a subject which has been written about for many years. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful.

  267. An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been conducting a little homework on this. And he actually ordered me dinner simply because I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this topic here on your site.

  268. Howdy! I just would like to offer you a big thumbs up for the great information you have right here on this post. I’ll be coming back to your web site for more soon.

  272. I blog often and I really appreciate your information. This article has truly peaked my interest. I will bookmark your site and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed as well.

  275. The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesn’t disappoint me as much as this one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, but I really thought you would probably have something interesting to talk about. All I hear is a bunch of crying about something that you could possibly fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.

  277. Can I just say what a relief to find someone who truly understands what they’re talking about on the net. You actually know how to bring a problem to light and make it important. A lot more people ought to check this out and understand this side of your story. I was surprised you are not more popular since you certainly have the gift.

  281. I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this site. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade content from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own website now 😉

  283. Your style is really unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this page.

  284. That is a very good tip especially to those fresh to the blogosphere. Simple but very accurate information… Appreciate your sharing this one. A must read article.

  285. You are so interesting! I don’t believe I’ve truly read through anything like this before. So wonderful to find someone with some original thoughts on this topic. Seriously.. thank you for starting this up. This web site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality.

  286. I was more than happy to uncover this page. I want to to thank you for your time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to look at new stuff on your blog.

  289. Can I simply just say what a comfort to uncover someone that truly understands what they’re talking about over the internet. You certainly realize how to bring a problem to light and make it important. More and more people ought to read this and understand this side of the story. It’s surprising you’re not more popular given that you most certainly possess the gift.

  290. Spot on with this write-up, I truly believe this amazing site needs far more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the advice.

  291. I want to to thank you for this wonderful read!! I absolutely loved every little bit of it. I have got you bookmarked to check out new things you post…

  293. That is a really good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Short but very precise info… Appreciate your sharing this one. A must read post!

  296. I was more than happy to find this site. I wanted to thank you for ones time for this particularly wonderful read!! I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to look at new information on your website.

  297. I truly love your website.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this amazing site yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own personal website and would like to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is called. Cheers.

  299. An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a colleague who was conducting a little research on this. And he in fact ordered me dinner because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this matter here on your website.

  301. I really love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you make this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my very own blog and want to know where you got this from or what the theme is named. Many thanks.

  304. Hi, I do think this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to come back
    yet again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to help other people.

  305. Aw, this was an incredibly nice post. Taking the time and actual effort to make a great article… but what can I say… I hesitate a lot and don’t seem to get nearly anything done.

  308. I was extremely pleased to uncover this site. I wanted to thank you for your time for this particularly fantastic read!! I definitely really liked every little bit of it and I have you saved to fav to check out new stuff in your web site.

  310. Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it won’t fail me just as much as this one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, but I genuinely thought you would have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you were not too busy seeking attention.

  314. Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites I stumbleupon every day. It’s always interesting to read through content from other writers and use something from their websites.

  316. I blog quite often and I truly appreciate your information. This article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your blog and keep checking for new information about once a week. I opted in for your Feed too.

  317. I really love your website.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you build this website yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own site and want to learn where you got this from or what the theme is named. Cheers.

  319. I blog quite often and I seriously appreciate your information. Your article has truly peaked my interest. I’m going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new details about once a week. I opted in for your Feed as well.

  321. Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always interesting to read through content from other authors and practice a little something from their websites.

  323. We are a group of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our community.
    Your web site offered us with helpful info to work on. You
    have performed a formidable activity and our entire
    neighborhood will probably be thankful to you.

  325. Hi, There’s no doubt that your blog could be having browser compatibility issues. When I take a look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine however, when opening in I.E., it’s got some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to give you a quick heads up! Apart from that, wonderful site.

  329. I’m impressed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both equally educative and interesting, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head. The issue is something which not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy I came across this during my search for something regarding this.

  330. This is the perfect webpage for anybody who really wants to find out about this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a new spin on a subject which has been written about for ages. Excellent stuff, just excellent.

  331. You are so interesting! I do not think I’ve truly read a single thing like that before. So nice to discover someone with genuine thoughts on this issue. Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This website is one thing that is required on the web, someone with a bit of originality.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here