Senior Program Associate Agronomist

Background & purpose of the assignment:

• Yemen faces severe environmental degradation, water scarcity & climate change induced challenges that exacerbate food insecurity & threaten livelihoods. In response, our client in Yemen supports vulnerable communities through its resilience program, aiming to enhance food security & adaptive capacity by integrating watershed management, water conservation, sustainable natural resource use & agricultural innovations.

• The Mukalla field office seeks an Agronomist to provide technical expertise in agricultural development, focusing on integrating traditional farming methods with innovative approaches for climate resilience & improved agricultural productivity. The Agronomist will design & implement solutions for rehabilitating degraded land, improving water use efficiency & adapting agricultural practices to climate variability, with a focus on sustainable, community driven approaches in eastern Yemen.

• This role involves extensive travel to rural areas to engage with local communities & authorities, ensuring effective design & implementation of sustainable land & water management practices, supporting capacity building initiatives, promoting climate adaptation & resilience in the agricultural sector.

Accountabilities & responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Agricultural expertise & climate adaptation:

• Provide technical expertise in both traditional & modern farming practices, focusing on enhancing productivity & sustainability while promoting climate resilience.

• Assess the impact of climate change on local agricultural practices & design climate smart solutions to mitigate its effects.

• Conduct assessments of agro ecological conditions, watershed status & land degradation in our client supported sites & government proposed areas. 

• Identify potential target areas for integrated area based & watershed interventions.

• Develop & promote innovative, sustainable farming techniques that are suitable for the local environment, such as soil conservation methods, water management techniques & drought resistant crops.

Land & water management:

• Design & implement strategies for improving water use efficiency, including irrigation systems, soil moisture management & water harvesting techniques.

• Develop & implement land rehabilitation programs to restore degraded soils, focusing on soil erosion control, salinity management & organic matter restoration.

• Promote sustainable farming practices such as agroforestry, crop rotation & use of organic amendments.

• Collaborate with local communities to design & implement integrated land & water management practices that improve soil health, enhance water efficiency & restore degraded lands.

• Promote integrated water management that balances agricultural needs with environmental sustainability & incorporates innovative solutions based on the climate energy water nexus & HDP nexus.

Community engagement & capacity building:

• Lead efforts to engage with local farmers, communities, authorities, building trust & ensuring the participation of women, youth & marginalized groups in agricultural projects.

• Conduct field based training sessions & workshops for farmers, focusing on climate adaptation strategies, sustainable agricultural practices & new technologies that can improve yields & resilience.

• Document & share knowledge on traditional farming methods, local knowledge & adaptive practices that align with modern climate resilient agriculture.

Collaboration with local authorities & stakeholders:

• Foster strong relationships with local government authorities, community leaders & other stakeholders to ensure the alignment of agricultural initiatives with local priorities & development plans.

• Provide technical support to local authorities in the planning & implementation of agricultural policies, programs & projects that focus on sustainable development & climate adaptation.

Monitoring, reporting & documentation:

• Monitor the progress of agricultural interventions in targeted areas, ensuring they are effectively implemented & adapted to local needs.

• Prepare regular reports on program activities, outcomes & lessons learned, including recommendations for improvements & scale up.

• Contribute to the development of project proposals & documentation for future funding opportunities.

Additional responsibilities:

• Perform any other duties as required by the Head of Field Office or Head of Unit.

The position reports to the Head of the Resilience unit in the Mukalla field office.

• Advanced degree in agronomy, agriculture, environmental science, agricultural engineering or a related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in agronomy, land & water management or related fields & climate change adaptation.

• Proven experience in working with local farming communities & understanding of traditional agricultural practices in eastern Yemen. 

• Strong technical knowledge of soil fertility, irrigation, agroforestry & sustainable farming practices.

• Strong knowledge & experience in soil & water conservation, natural resource management & agro hydro engineering.

• Proven ability to design & implement agricultural & water management projects.

• Ability to communicate complex agricultural concepts in a clear & culturally sensitive manner.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with local communities, authorities & other stakeholders.

• Fluency in Arabic & proficiency in English (written & spoken) is required.

This role has no team management responsibility.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.