Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, November 02, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:

The successful candidate must be committed to strengthening multistakeholder platforms that interconnect certified and “quality declared seed” producers, early-generation seed producers, farmers, grain off-takers, processors, and policymakers.
This position will report to the Partnerships and Seed Systems Lead. The duty post for ESA will be in Kenya.

Specific duties:
• Support decentralized seed production and supply systems to access, multiply and disseminate seeds of publicly bred varieties to farmers
• Develop quality seed production and business skills of small-scale seed entrepreneurs and enhance their access to resources to increase commercialization
• Leverage grain aggregator channels and relationships with farmers to create awareness and increase the adoption of new varieties
• Support emerging women and youth seed enterprises to respond to grain demand (quantity and quality) through demand-led multi-stakeholder engagements
• Conduct an inventory of available, “on-the-shelf” public-bred varieties that have not reached farmers; Compile data substantiating their performance, and design/implement a strategy to validate and link the ‘best’ to seed systems; Carefully validate the concept of ‘best’ varieties in the context of targeted farmers.
• Develop and validate innovative demand-led, context-specific seed systems models; Work with extension and delivery systems to scale-up best models to improve access to seed by ‘hard-to-reach’ farmers who have not benefitted from improved seed; Build informal and formal linkages between ‘excluded’ farmers (outside formal markets) and value chains
• Assist partners in the design and implementation of seed road maps, including technical/infrastructural support to the NARES to develop sustainable production of breeders, pre-basic and basic seed of varieties and hybrids
• Foster partnerships with public and private sector institutions to increase certified seed production, field-based promotional activities, and adoption of improved varieties by the target communities
• Support the development of impactful varieties by generating robust producibility, productivity, and marketability data that support commercialization decisions and feedback to breeders to develop demanded products
• Lead and contribute to resource mobilization – fundraising – to support/expand this work.
• Disseminate knowledge about effective seed systems through scientific writing, reports, and policy briefs.

Required academic qualifications, skills, and attitudes:
• Ph.D. with at least 5 years or MSc with at least 10 years of experience, in agronomy, plant breeding, seed systems, or related agricultural field with long-term successful experience in the seed sector serving resource-poor, small-holder farmers.
• Demonstrated skills in the facilitation of public-private partnerships.
• Ability to work in multi-stakeholder, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Fluency in spoken and written English (and working knowledge of French for West Africa).
• Excellent working knowledge of standard statistical software and electronic communication.
• Aptitude and skills to formulate projects.
• A strong track record of resource mobilization is desirable.
• Willingness to travel internationally and domestically within the target region.
• Experience managing budgets and staff.
• The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Proactivity, Team Leadership, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution, and Teamwork

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Associate Degree

Job application procedure
Interested and qualified click https://www.cimmyt.org/careers/jobs/seed-systems-specialist-easter-and-southern-africa/?utm_source=  to apply.


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