Job Description:
Seeking a farm manager/senior agronomist for the establishment of tomato farming in Nigeria. The successful candidate will help with the day to day field operations of planting, harvesting, irrigation control and data collection of development trials and tomato fruit quality trials in Nigeria. We hope to become one of the largest tomato growers in Nigeria and produce on about 3-5000 hectares per year. The candidate will serve as a leader-practitioner, working closely with the senior management and other technical partners to roll out and manage the projects, as well as to the extent possible, lead and/or participate in developing other scopes of work.
The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing a number of projects which are designed to establish tomato production capabilities on the farm location in Nigeria. The projects are:
Commercial Farm: The farm manager/senior agronomist shall:
- Monitor field activity daily through surveying, sampling and recording all pest populations, weather patterns, horticultural and fruit characteristics and growth habits of all the varieties.
- Responsible for consulting and advising on seed, fertilizer, and chemical recommendations and application schedules; scouting and providing general agronomic consultation.
- Develop a greenhouse for seedling production and advise on best practice design and production methods in the pre-planting phase.
- Develop a technical and operational farm scale-up plan consisting of plot identification, land and road works, greenhouse infrastructure and all other necessary components to take farm from trial size to 5000+ hectare in 2 years.
- Develop an agronomical plan establishing policy, procedures and open-field crop row best practices necessary to achieve consistent yields of 100 metric tonnes per hectare of tomato paste varieties.
- Commission a farm assessment of hydrological, topographical, soil-physical or other surveys as necessary so all data needed for the development of a technical and operational scale-up plan will be available.
- Maintain reports that represent progress on yield, quality, timing and other related data to ensure pre-planting objectives are met.
- Provide communication and recommendations to the company and its representatives on overall crop progression throughout the season.
- Develop a machinery and equipment and procurement plan.
- Assist in the elaboration of the Bill of Quantities and cost estimation of the scale-up plan.
- Develop a technical and operational irrigation scale-up plan consisting of infrastructure identification, earth works required, well and reservoir capacity and all other necessary components to practice drip-irrigation techniques on 5000+ Hectares within 2 years.
- In conjunction with the farm assessment commission hydrological, topographical, soil-physical or other surveys to be performed so all data needed for the development of a technical and operational scale-up plan will be available.
- Assess the calculated irrigation water requirements of the current farm and the requirements of the scale-up plan and its relation to cropping pattern, cropping calendar and potential command area.
- Develop the detailed technical and operational scale-up plan of the proposed works to be undertaken, taking into consideration the stability of the subsoil and stability of the structures to with stand flash floods, erosion and seepage.
- Assess the proposed design of channels, drop structures, sideways, gates and flumes and improve where needed.
- Assist in the elaboration of the Bill of Quantities and cost estimation of the scale-up plan.
Irrigation scheme: The Farm manager/agronomist shall:
Out grower Scheme: Work with senior management to help design a smallholder out grower scheme for tomatoes that allows farmers access to agricultural inputs and agricultural extension services.
Planning: Highlight the risks to the crop yield estimate by working out various scenarios. Assessment of the impact of various scenarios on yields and associated probabilities such as weather, pests, diseases and changing costs or supply of inputs or labour etc.
Research: Research new materials, application methods, and working with field supervisors to obtain cooperation and schedule applications.
Minimum Experience Requirements:
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in Tomato or vegetable crop row farming is required;
- Minimum of 8 years as a senior agronomist and/or farm manager of a commercial entity;
- In position as senior agronomist and/or farm manager must have achieved 100 metric tons of open-field processing tomatoes per hectare (required);
- Must have experience designing and operating drip irrigation systems on farms greater than 1000 hectares (required);
- Minimum of 8 years’ experience managing tomato processing farms of size greater than 1000 hectares;
- Experience developing out grower and/or cooperative schemes and networks is highly desirable
- Multiple Country work experience is required; International experience in agricultural development is preferred.
- Licences: Licences are not required but having a California Certified Crop Advisor and/or California Pest Control Advisor licence(s), or similar is highly desirable.
Education: Degree in Agriculture/Agronomy/Horticulture/Botany/Farm Management required: Advance degree will be a plus.
If interested please share your profiles to mailto:prabhakar@crystalconsultants.in
Thanks & Regards,
David Prabhakar
Crystal Consultants
( +91 (40) 40038252 | +91 98491 68034
PLOT NOT 85, P&T COLONY, BEHIND NAVAJEEVAN HOSPITAL,VIKRAMPURI, NEAR SECUNDRABAD CLUB, SECUNDRABAD-500009 www.crystalconsultants.in
