Horticulture Specialist at RTI International

Essential Duties

• Understanding the KS1758 roll out challenges, and opportunities and how these might be addressed.
• The “push’ factors contributing to adoption of KS1758 by actors along the horticulture supply chain (producers, aggregators, transporters buyers and retailers) and how this is working towards creatin food safety, reducing food spoilage.
• Price incentives associated with adoption of KS1758.
• Desktop review of the documents including KS 178 training curriculum and range of market actors trained and sensitized on KS 1758 and the process that was taken to prepare the firms for certification (may put together the standards audited)
• Interviews with industry associations conducting KS 1758 Roll out (FPEAK, FPC and RETRAK). Also, the roles of HCD and KEPHIS in enforcing and set up systems in support of KS1758 regulatory framework
• Administration of questionnaire to FPEAK trained market actors addressing perceptions on meeting the standards and process.
• Interviews with pilot organizations (Crowne Plaza, Beyond Fruits and Kongowea Market) to document the process followed in certification, the costs, and opportunities in use of the certification for business.
• Report writing and presentation

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degrees in agriculture or any relevant field with good understanding of food safety, and horticulture certification systems
• Ability to administer questionnaires, collate, synthesize and interpreted field data
• Good understanding of horticulture value chain process flow and certification process
• Knowledge of MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent oral and written skills in English. Fluency in Kiswahili preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to be collaborative across projects, flexible and creative.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel
• Ability to multi-task
• Ability to work well with others
• Ability to listen and communicate well both verbally and in writing
• Ability to work independently
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to obtain proper security clearances as noted by contracts