Project Assistant - Agronomy & Marketing- Nyandarua at DanChurchAid (DCA)

The main responsibilities of the Project Assistants are:  

Technical Support and Guidance: 

• Mobilize and onboard farmers, cooperatives, and trader associations and provide technical assistance during implementation of L2V project.  
• Enhance organisational capacity of farmer, farmer organisations and trader associations through training and exposure.  
• Conduct training programs on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), post-harvest management, food safety cold storage best practices, and efficient utilization of the units. 
• Facilitate markets linkages & trade between SHFs and identified market.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement:   

• Assist in establishing linkages between farmers, cooperatives, and financial institutions for potential financing options. 
• Facilitate linkages between farmers and off takers/exporters for effective trade in target value chains.  
• Foster strong partnership with farmers, county officials, input suppliers and other key stakeholders to facilitate achievement of project objectives at the local level.  

Project Implementation and Monitoring: 

• Assist in the identification and setup process of cooling units through participatory approaches. 
• Provide regular progress reports, data collection, and documentation of field activities. 
• Contribute to project monitoring and evaluation, identifying challenges and proposing solutions. 

Communication and Representation:

• Represent the project at relevant meetings, workshops, and conferences to promote project objectives. 
• Document and share key achievements / impact created by implementation of the project.  
• Collaborate with project partners and stakeholders to raise awareness about the project and its benefits. 

Qualifications, skills & experience 

• 3-4 years of relevant experience in community development, Business development or related fields.
• Bachelor's degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, or a related field.  
• Proven experience in agricultural extension services, preferably in GAP training, agroecology post-harvest management and cold chain systems. 
• Sound knowledge of smallholder farming practices, value chains, and market system development.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with farmers, cooperatives, and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. 
• Ability to deliver training programs and facilitate workshops to build capacity and knowledge among project beneficiaries. 
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently in remote field locations with limited supervision. 
• Proficiency in computer applications and data management software. 
• Fluency in English, Swahili and local languages is a requirement.  
• Must be a licensed motorbike rider & be willing to reside in the county of placement.