MINISTRY : AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
DEPARTMENT : FIELD SERVICES
TITTLE : AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANT
GRADE : D
RESPONSIBLE TO : AREA EXTENSION OFFICER
LOCATION : Maseru, Leribe, Mafeteng, Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong, Mohale’shoek
JOB SUMMARY
UNDER THE GENERAL SUPERVISON OF THE AREA EXTENSIO OFFICER THE INCUMBENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FRO CMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT; TRAINING OF FARMERS; COORDINATION OF SUB-RESOURCE CENTER ACTIVITIES AND PREPARATION OF SUB-RESOURCE CENTER BUDGET.
MAIN DUTIES
- COMMUNITY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT
- Create awareness in the designated area on the UES concept to encourage their development initiatives.
- Conducts a Pitso in the designated area to explain the ALC process.
- Liaises with team members to facilitate the implementation of Action Learning Cycle in order that the communities may identify and solve their problems.
- Encourages coordinated action to address community issues and problems through the development of community action plans for more efficient and effective utilization of their available resources.
- Supports and strengthens existing local institutions, groups and co-operatives through provision of technical expertise with the assistance of Area Technical Officer and SMS where necessary.
- Develops the capacity of individual farmers to set and achieve their development goals for the betterment of their livelihoods.
- Supports general agricultural development schemes/programmes in the area assigned for income generation and poverty alleviation.
- Guides the community in the designated area in monitoring and evaluating their progress in the implementation of their action to ensure that they learn from their experiences.
- TRAINING OF FARMERS
- Trains farmers on specific technical issues arising from the community action plan with the assistance of Area Technical Officer and SMS where necessary in order to improve their knowledge and skills.
- Encourages farmer
learning through experimentation trials and demonstrations on farm to develop
innovative farmer solutions to their problems.
- Provides advice and general information to farmers and other stakeholders on agricultural matters to solve their problems.
- Liaises with the Area Extension Officer and Technical Officer (of relevant field) in arranging study tours and farmer to farmer visits to expose to expose agricultural methods and ideas within and outside the designated area.
- Promotes and trains farmer’s extension facilitators in order to equip them with knowledge and skills.
- COORDINTION OF
SUBSECTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Liaises with other sub-sectional heads with and outside the resource center to solicit support in the implementation of crops activities
- Convenes monthly meetings with sub-center heads for planning and reporting in order to ensure integrated implementation of crops activities.
- Liaises with stakeholders to sensitize them on sub-sectoral developments to facilitate consistency, mutual support and synchronic implementation of crops programmes.
- PREPARATION OF
SECTIONAL BUDGET
- Prepares the overall sub-sectional budget annually to ensure that that all sub-sectional programs and projects are funded accordingly and implemented smoothly.
- Negotiates and justifies co-operatives budget at the divisional budget discussion in order to secure the necessary funds to finance sub-sectional activities.
- Recommends the review of the sub-sectional budget to the divisional head whenever the need arises to realign it with the changes in the sectional business plan to facilitate the implementation of the critical programs and activities within the section.
JOB SPECIFICATION
Certificate in General Agriculture