Agriculture Specialist

Essential Job Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive field assessments to identify agricultural needs, challenges, and opportunities across different regions in Somalia.
• Develop context-specific agricultural programs that address food security, sustainable farming, and environmental conservation.
• Design and implement projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity through the introduction of improved seeds, drought-resistant crops, and better livestock management practices.
• Promote climate-smart agricultural practices, including water management, soil conservation, and sustainable land use techniques.
• Facilitate access to modern farming technologies, tools, and methods that improve crop yields and farmer incomes.
• Provide technical training and support to teams, farmers, agricultural extension workers, and local organizations on best farming practices, pest management, and post-harvest handling.
• Build the capacity of farming cooperatives and community groups to enhance their ability to implement sustainable agricultural practices.
• Work with communities to develop alternative income-generating activities, such as poultry farming, beekeeping, or fish farming, that are less reliant on rainfall.
• Support initiatives for small-scale resilient agriculture that improve household food security.
• Foster partnerships with research institutions and agricultural extension services to enhance knowledge-sharing and technology adoption in rural areas.
• Monitor the progress and impact of agricultural projects through data collection and field visits, ensuring they meet project objectives.

• Support farmers in improving post-harvest handling, processing, and value addition techniques.
• Support strengthening of value chains for key agricultural products, ensuring that farmers receive fair market prices and sustainable income opportunities.

Reporting

• Prepare regular reports, case studies, and success stories to document project progress, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Provide detailed recommendations to improve the performance and sustainability of agricultural initiatives.
• Coordinate with MEAL team to ensure data quality and timely sharing of data to support reporting cycles.

Representation

• Represent Mercy Corps and its values at coordination and partner meetings in area of operation.
• Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and donor obligations are met.
• Demonstrate flexibility, resilience, and ability to maintain positive relationships and composure.
• Maintain high ethical standards and treat people with respect and dignity.

Security

• Ensure compliance with security procedures and policies as determined by country leadership.
• Proactively ensure that team members operate in a secure environment and are aware of policies.

Organizational Learning 

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues

 

 

Reports Directly To: Program Manager

Works Directly With: SERRI team, other Sector specialists, MEL Officers, Finance, HR and Operation field teams.

 

Knowledge and Experience

• University degree in Agriculture, Agronomy or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in agricultural development, preferably in Somalia.
• Practical experience working with smallholder farmers and rural communities in Somalia.
• Strong technical knowledge of crop and livestock production, agroecology, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Excellent training, facilitation, and capacity-building skills
• Excellent training needs assessment and community mobilization skills and demonstrated ability to work productively with farmers and youth groups.
• Excellent report writing skills with strong analytical skills and proven ability to work against tight deadlines.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines under challenging conditions and show initiative.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly to all program target locations in Somalia.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and email.
• Good spoken and written English.

 

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development.

 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

 

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

 

Success Factors

The successful candidate will combine exceptional skills and experience in working with diverse cross-cultural teams, commitment to local capacity building and the ability to engage local stakeholders in project design and implementation and strong mentoring skills. S/he will be focused on capacity building of program staff, have strong program support skills, good information management skills and athe bility to work simultaneously on multiple tasks and while maintaining deadlines. Willingness and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of people.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.