Reports To:  Area Coordinator (AC) in coordination of APO

Background:

The USAID/Nepal-funded KISAN II project is for improving food security in twenty-four districts covering provinces 3,5, 6 & 7 of the country The purpose of the project is to increase resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability of income growth in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence. KISAN II will help lead firms, input suppliers, and private sector change agents catalyze agricultural productivity, competitive market systems, a stronger enabling environment, and business and literacy skills for households in two Zones of Influence.

Position Description:

Agriculture & Marketing Technician will be responsible for promotion of production and marketing activities in the designated Sub-Metropolitan/Municipality /Rural Municipality in partnership with the relevant designated private sector partners. S/He will work under the direct supervision of the Area Coordinator and will be responsible for all the aspects of agriculture related outputs of the project at the grassroots level, ensuring compliance with USAID rules and regulations, the internal policies of KISAN II, CEAPRED and the prevailing Nepalese Laws and Regulations.

Job Function:

• Support the private sector in assessing the market and identify market opportunities in the area of his/her assigned Sub-Metropolitan/Municipality /Rural Municipality. AMT will help the private sector partners to identify opportunities in vegetable and selected cereal crop(s)
• Support Private Sector partners to assess the needs, capacities and interests of beneficiaries in his/her working area and develop a support package appropriate for the beneficiaries given prevailing market conditions
• Support private sector partners to improve farmer access to high quality inputs including seed, soil nutrients, pesticides, herbicides, integrated pest management technologies, and irrigation technologies among others. AMT will help link farmers with input providers (such as agrovets and cooperatives) identified for delivering appropriate inputs in a timely manner
• Facilitate and support private sector partners to conduct demonstrations and provide training to farmer groups to promote the use of high quality inputs and the adoption. of new technologies (including production and post-harvest technologies) that will increase the quantity and quality of production leading to increased incomes and improved food security for KISAN II beneficiaries
• Support the private sector partners to form and strengthen farmer groups. This may include facilitating organisation of exposure visits of farmer groups, strengthening collection centers (including MPCs), cooperatives, or haat bazaars; and facilitating development of possible contract farming arrangements
• Assist in linking farmers and farmer groups to savings and credit facilities. This also include assisting farmers or farmer groups access credit from SACCOs, MFIs for inputs, machinery, or other agricultural related expenses
• Build the capacity of change agents and private sector partners including agro-vets, Mistries, and others to provide better services to KISAN II beneficiaries. Capacity will be built through their participation in KISAN II organized trainings, field visits, or c counseling and mentoring
• Encourage market actors to provide more and better services to farmers by helping them understand the benefits to them of doing so
• Leverage support from the Sub-Metropolitan/Municipality /Rural Municipality for activities/investments that will benefit the community and/or farmer groups, such as irrigation facilities
• Carry out other work related tasks assigned by the supervisor