Job: Seed Systems and Production Research Associate, CGIAR

Location: Mwanza, Tanzania 
Deadline: Tuesday, 24 September 2013 

Description

Screening starts: Sep 24, 2013 |

Unit: SSA |

Location: Tanzania |

Type: NRS

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking a committed specialist, preferably with extensive experience in sweetpotato germplasm and crop management. The position will serve a new 2 year effort focused on the validation and scaling out of low-cost net tunnel technology with farmer multipliers. The effort will be led by the Tanzania Lake Zone Agricultural Research and Development Institute (LZARDI); and in central Uganda in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).

The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers improving the lives of the poor. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers who are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations.

The position: This is a local position based in Mwanza, Tanzania hosted by IITA [GM(1] . The project is also working in Zanzibar and central Uganda. This position requires working in collaboration with public and private sector research and development agents to build capacity in the production of quality, disease-free sweetpotato planting material and sweetpotato crop production.

Duties and Accountabilities:

• Collect field data (in collaboration with Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute (MARI) and the CIP Head of Virology) for the virus degeneration study and data collection on the technical feasibility of the net tunnel technology with decentralized vine multipliers (DVMs).
• Provide training (in collaboration with LZARDI) to agricultural research and extension providers in: the siting, construction and maintenance of net tunnels for decentralized vine multipliers; the production of quality sweetpotato planting material (i.e. bed preparation, planting regime, integrated pest and disease management, QDPM [SL2] protocols); ensuring that gender aspects are considered and incorporated into the training.
• Coordinate with partner organizations (LZARDI, TAHEA, KOLPING [SL3] ) in net tunnel construction, the maintenance and the production of quality sweetpotato planting material, and the organization of demonstrations and field days with selected DVMs.
• Provide support for planning the multiplication cycle (i.e. delivery of tissue culture material, hardening, delivery/collection by DVMs, planting under nets, spraying, and harvesting and planting out for field multiplication).
• Support the design, implementation and monitoring of an inspection scheme for sweetpotato QDPM in collaboration with LZARDI, Tanzania Official Seeds Certification Institute (TOSCI), NGO partners and DVMs.
• Liaise with partners to ensure that DVMs receive training in business enterprise and have business and marketing plans for the sale of their planting material.
• Collaborate with the LZARDI monitoring and evaluation team in the design and implementation of an effective monitoring system.
• Conduct joints (LZARDI, NGO and Government extension provider), monitoring, and learning visits to DVMs.
• Identify any emerging bottlenecks to successful implementation of the net tunnel activities and work with national research partner institutions to address those constraints.
• Attend in-country meetings with LZARDI and NGO partners on a regular basis.
• Prepare brief bi-weekly updates for CIP and project quarterly reports on a timely basis.

Selection Criteria:

• MSc degree in Breeding, Agronomy, Horticulture, Seed Technology, Plant Science, Agricultural Engineering or other relevant agriculture discipline.
• At least 3 to 5 years of relevant research experience in managing a vegetatively propagated crop, preferably sweetpotato.
• Experience in managing sweetpotato seed multiplication system preferred.
• Ability to work in an international agricultural research center, interacting with its staff and managing research programs in a variety of institutional and ecological settings.
• Strong competencies in both quantitative and qualitative techniques.
• Experience in conducting project monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated success in working with multi-disciplinary teams and partnerships.
• Excellent interpersonal relationships skills and teamwork orientation.
• Proactive, innovative and creative attitudes.
• Training experience, in particular experiential learning with adults preferred.
• Willingness to travel extensively in the field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kiswahili are required.

Conditions: Employment contract will be for a two-year term (with a six-month probation period) with the possibility of renewal, subject to availability of funding. Salary will be nationally competitive, paid in local currency, and commensurate with experience. CIP provides additional benefits, including employer-paid medical, life and disability insurance. CIP prides itself on its collegial and supportive working environment, which allows space for personal and professional growth.

Applications: Applicants should apply by email, sending a letter of motivation, a full C.V., and names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate's professional qualifications and work experience to cip-nbo@cgiar.org , copied to Margaret McEwan ( M.McEwan@cgiar.org ). The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message. The closing date for applications for this position is September 24, 2013. All applications will be acknowledged, only short listed candidates will be contacted.

CIP seeks diversity and gender balance in its staff.

Women and citizens of developing countries are particularly urged to apply.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site at http://www.cipotato.org

More Info and Application