Consultancy – Agronomist – Soybean Initiatives

We are searching for an experienced Consultancy – Agronomist – Soybean Initiatives at our Kenya facility. 

Project Overview:

The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) is a 7-year and €134 million programme funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that aims to create a prosperous future for 230,000 young women and men in the Middle East, North Africa, Sahel & West Africa, and Horn of Africa regions. The Fund will be supporting initiatives in 12 focus countries that will offer youth, in particular young women, opportunities for work that is demand-driven and productive, offering a stable income and safe working conditions, and that is contributing to their personal development and social protection.
The portfolio of projects is selected from business cases that were proposed by private sector, civil society and knowledge institutions. Each business case has outlined scalable solutions for creating more and better jobs and income generating opportunities for youth. Solutions focus on an integrated approach that addresses the shortcomings on the demand side (jobs) and supply side (skills) and bridging the mismatch between these two in the labor market.

Sokofresh Overview:

SokoFresh is a social enterprise incorporated in 2019, dedicated to reducing post-harvest losses and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Kenya. Through our solar-powered cold storage solutions and market linkage services, SokoFresh enables farmers to access premium markets, improve produce quality, and increase their incomes.
Under the CFYE project, SokoFresh focuses on empowering youth and women in agriculture by creating employment opportunities across various roles, including farmers, loaders, transporters, and assemblers. The project targets improving agricultural practices, reducing post-harvest losses, and enhancing market access for smallholder farmers.

Assignment Overview:

SokoFresh and CFYE are jointly implementing the SokoFresh AgriHub project, which aims to directly improve the livelihoods of over 2,000 youth farmers. By leveraging the collective strength, knowledge, and resources of women’s chamas, placing women at the center of the smallholder agricultural ecosystem. Through these hubs, the project will enhance revenue generation along value chains by improving farmers' access to and ability to meet market demands while significantly reducing post-harvest losses. One of the sectors the project will be working in is the Soybean value chain. To Support Sokofresh achieve its objectives, SokoFresh is looking to onboard a Soybean Agronomist.  The Agronomist will play a critical role in providing technical expertise to soybean farmers, supporting them in improving yields, enhancing crop quality, and aligning their production with market requirements. The role involves on-ground farmer engagement, training, and providing technical support to implement sustainable and climate-smart farming practices.
The consultant will report directly to the CFYE Country Lead and work closely, on a day-to-day basis, with the SokoFresh management team.

Key responsibilities:

1) Farmer Training and Support:

- Train farmers on soybean production best practices, including land preparation, seed selection, planting, fertilization, pest, and disease management, and harvesting techniques.
- Provide guidance on climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices.

2) Field Visits and Monitoring:

- Conduct regular field visits to monitor crop progress and provide on-site recommendations to address issues.
- Track and report on key performance indicators, including yields, quality, and farmer adoption rates.

3) Market Linkage Support:

- Collaborate with market linkage teams to ensure soybean production meets buyer quality requirements.
- Provide input on market trends and farmer needs to enhance value chain efficiency.

4) Data Collection and Reporting:

- Collect data on farmer performance, approximate production costs, yields, and market prices to assess program impact.
- Prepare regular reports and updates for management and stakeholders.

5) Stakeholder Collaboration:

- Work closely with farmer groups, cooperatives, and other stakeholders to strengthen the soybean value chain.
- Collaborate with partners and donors to achieve project goals.

6) Input and Resource Management:
Support farmers in accessing high-quality inputs such as certified seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
Develop and promote resource-efficient practices to minimize costs.

Deliverables:

- Inception report that provides the proposed framework of support to SokoFresh.
- A baseline report on the current agronomic practices and productivity levels of soybean farmers.
- Monthly progress reports detailing farmer engagement, training outcomes, and recommendation for improvements.
- Technical deliverables; Comprehensive Agronomy training strategy to equip soybean farmers with the knowledge and skills to improve yields, enhance quality, and adopt sustainable, market aligned farming practices.
- Collaborate with Sokofresh to plan and deliver an agreed number of training sessions for soybean farmers, youth champions, and SokoFresh’s operation team on sustainable and climate-smart agronomic practices, including soil management, pest control, and post-harvest handling.
- Submit and end of assignment report summarizing all activities, outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendation for scaling or improving the intervention.

Level of Effort and Reporting:

Up to 21 days over 3 months (1st March – 30th May 2025). The assignment is anticipated to start in March 2025.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agriculture, Crop Science, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience working with smallholder farmers, preferably in soybean production.
- Strong knowledge of soybean agronomy, pests, diseases, and sustainable farming practices.
- Familiarity with climate-smart agricultural practices and tools.
- Experience in farmer training, extension services, or agricultural project management.
- Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
- Willingness to travel and work in Homabay, Migori, and Kakamega.

Core Competencies:

- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse farmer groups.
- Problem-solving skills and the ability to provide practical solutions to on-farm challenges.
- Fluency in English and local languages (preferred).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital tools for data collection.

How to Apply:

Apply to the website by sending a cover letter explaining how you match the role. Attach your CV which should not be more than 5 pages.

Deadline: 14 February 2025

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.