County Technical Advisor – Taita Taveta County at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term, local presence in many of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organisations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

About the project

The Integrated & Climate Smart Innovations for Agro-Pastoralists and Landscapes (ICSIAPL) project  is a partnership of SNV, Kenya Agriculture Research Organization (KALRO) and the three county governments of Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Narok. The project applies research towards building more resilient and market-based solutions for improved forage production and livestock husbandry through climate smart innovations and sustainable landscape management. The project aims to stimulate business models, and forage production and sales in order to provide opportunities for women and youth enterprise development, as well as opportunities for large scale commercial production. ICSIAPL aims to support counties to build on the commercialization of climate smart innovations and to develop sustainable landscape management.

 Overall objective:

Livelihoods of   communities enhanced through improved forage production and livestock husbandry, building on commercialisation of climate smart innovations and sustainable landscape management in Taita Taveta, Kajiado and Narok counties.

Strategic outcomes:

1.     Increased resilience of agro-pastoralists and SMEs against climate shocks by the adoption of technology and upscaling of appropriate grazing and feeding innovations.

2.     Capacity of county governments and other stakeholders improved in planning, implementation and coordination of integrated landscape management, grazing management and drought resilient livestock feeding strategies.

3.     County governments better able to domesticate national policies and develop local strategies/frameworks for drought resilient livestock sector development.

 Job Details

SNV Kenya is seeking a professional with requisite qualification and experience for the role of County Technical Advisor (CTA), Taita Taveta County. The CTA is responsible for coordination of county level activities of the project. She/he understands context and processes related to commercialization of climate smart and sustainable agriculture innovations, especially related to the livestock sector in the project counties, including the forage value chain and resource base.

The CTA will coordinate the project interventions and manage partnerships among stakeholders at County level and shall be the focal point of interaction with KALRO, seed suppliers and other private sector and service providers, farmers, livestock keepers, cooperatives, Group Ranches, conservancies, training centres, and county governments. The CTA will also represent the project in the county with relevant projects and government ministries’ activities that promote synergy and collaboration with ICSIAPL

Main role and duties

The County Technical Advisor is the project’s focal point at county level and represents SNV and the project in all stakeholder engagements on matters related to ICSIAPL in the county. In this regard, she/he will coordinate closely with KALRO and other SNV technical teams to ensure effective delivery of the 4 project work packages within Taita Taveta County.

Specific roles and duties

i.) Project Coordination:

• Oversee county level day-today project implementation, coordination and monitoring, evaluation, and learning.


• Partnership management of key stakeholders in public and private sector.


• Responsible for project office and equipment.

ii.) County level project representation:

• Establish and manage partnerships with related programs in the county.


• Liaise with identified county government focal point to facilitate coordination between the project and county ministries, projects and forums.


• Attend existing coordination forums, such as County Agricultural Sector Steering Committee (CASSCOM)  , County Steering Group (CSG) and Climate Smart Agriculture- Multistakeholder Platform (CSA_MSP)

.iii.) Delivery of work packages:

• Stimulate, advise, and coordinate with KALRO county partners such as farmers, livestock keepers, Group Ranches, conservancies, cooperatives, and training centres in the establishment of forage demo plots, feedlots, improved grazing areas or pastures, both on-farm and/or for commercial forage production.


• In conjunction with the innovation business advisor, promote and facilitate with KALRO and other parties the dissemination of drought-resilient feeding innovations validated by research with respective value chain actors


• Facilitate identification and communication with SMEs (including women & youth enterprises and cooperatives) identified for the innovation  fund and/or seed voucher;


• Steer capacity development of stakeholders to implement climate resilient integrated landscape management strategies and plans.


• Coordinate and facilitate county staff capacity building for developing county strategies/ frameworks on drought resilience in line with national policy.


• Coordinate the establishment and or strengthening of Multi-stakeholder Platforms at county and landscape level

Qualifications

Education:

Master’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, economics, integrated natural resources management, rangeland management or related field. Bachelor’s degree with experience in implementation of similar interventions for a period of at least 5 years.

Experience:

• Minimum of four (4) years of professional experience in agriculture work in international development projects or private sector, preferably in livestock, forage development and sustainable landscapes management


• Experience in management and coordination of agricultural/livestock projects and/or with integrated natural resources management or landscape management interventions.


• Understanding of the context and processes related to commercialization of agriculture innovations, preferably in the forage value chain.


• Experience in implementing initiatives involving transfer or route to market of agriculture innovations by research institutions, involving small holder farmers, private sector, and government.


• Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder processes involving actors such as government, research, civil society, local communities, and private sector.


• Experience in planning and managing surveys.


• Experience in managing and providing training and coaching to partners and target beneficiaries.


• Knowledge on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and carbon credits is a plus


• Requisite skills set to facilitate and serve as project liaison for external actors.

Additional Information

• Additional information


• Contract duration: Up to 31st December 2023


• Desired Start date: February 2022

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