Crop Modeler/Agronomist at Gap Recruitment Services Limited

Job Purpose:

The Crop Modeler/Agronomist will play a vital role in utilizing sophisticated crop models for diverse purposes. Including assessing risk for informed policy development, supporting underwriting and claims teams, and generating impactful agronomic advisories for smallholder farmers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain accurate and reliable crop models for various crops and regions, incorporating weather, soil, and agronomic practices.
• Analyze historical and real-time data to assess crop yield potential, predict variability, and identify potential risks for insured crops.
• Utilize crop models to simulate yield outcomes under diverse scenarios, considering weather, crop varieties, and soil conditions.
• Translate model outputs into practical agronomic advisories and GAPs tailored to the specific needs of smallholder farmers.
• Collaborate with underwriters, claims adjusters, and extension agents to interpret model outputs, analyze crop losses, and support claim evaluation.
• Provide technical expertise on agronomic practices, crop growth stages, and environmental conditions to internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with extension agents, NGOs, and farmer organizations to disseminate agronomic advisories and GAPs through accessible channels.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of disseminated advisories and GAPs through field trials, farmer surveys, and refine models and recommendations based on feedback.
• Stay up to date on industry trends, regulations, and scientific advancements in crop modeling and agronomy.
• Create and present technical reports, data visualizations, and presentations to communicate findings to diverse audiences.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Master's degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, or a closely related field, with a strong emphasis on crop modelling.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in developing and applying crop models for agricultural applications or related fields.
• Proven track record of data analysis, statistical modelling, and interpreting complex datasets.

Competencies:

• Understanding of various crop models and their underlying principles (empirical, mechanistic, statistical).
• Proficiency in using crop modelling software and tools.
• Understanding of environmental factors influencing crop growth that impact crop performance.
• Ability to analyze large datasets from various sources (weather stations, remote sensing, yield records).
• A strong understanding in crop physiology and growth stages.
• Familiarity of best agronomic practices for various crops and regions.
• Experience in conducting field trials and collecting agronomic data.
• Understanding of soil science and water management.
• Familiarity with agricultural insurance products and risk assessment methodologies.

Others

• Programming skills (e.g., Python, R) for data analysis and potentially modifying or developing crop models.
• Geographical information systems (GIS) experience for analyzing spatial data and mapping risk across regions.
• Statistical knowledge for analyzing field trial data, model validation, and uncertainty quantification.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Teamwork.
• Integrity.