Job Description: Livelihoods & Agriculture Specialist

• Work closely with implementing partners throughout the programme cycle to improve delivery, sustainability, and impact.
• Assess partner technical capacity and provide coaching, mentoring, training, and practical support to strengthen livelihoods systems and agriculture programming.
• Facilitate learning sessions and capacity-building activities for partner staff, farmers, producer groups, cooperatives, and community stakeholders.
• Support partners to improve agricultural practices, enterprise development approaches, and community-based livelihood models.
• Promote knowledge sharing, innovation, and continuous improvement among programme partners.

• Lead the design, review, and improvement of livelihoods and agriculture initiatives through:
  • Needs assessments
  • Market analysis
  • Context analysis
  • Stakeholder consultations
  • Programme strategies and budgets
  • Theories of change and logical frameworks
• Provide technical guidance on:
  • Smallholder agriculture
  • Crop and livestock production
  • Climate-smart agriculture
  • Soil fertility management
  • Water management
  • Post-harvest handling
  • Value addition
  • Rural enterprise development
  • Agricultural value chains
• Ensure programmes are sustainable, market-oriented, practical, and responsive to community needs.
• Work closely with Health, Education, and other technical teams to integrate livelihoods activities with nutrition, education, health, and household resilience initiatives.
• Contribute to concept notes, donor proposals, fundraising materials, reports, and learning documents.

• Support entrepreneurship development and business planning for community-based livelihood initiatives.
• Strengthen producer groups, cooperatives, and rural enterprises to improve their effectiveness and sustainability.
• Support communities to access markets, strengthen value chains, and develop relationships with suppliers, buyers, and service providers.
• Promote profitable livelihood opportunities that enable households to move from subsistence production toward sustainable economic resilience.
• Support market-based approaches that increase income opportunities for vulnerable communities.

• Work with the MEL Officer to establish appropriate indicators, monitoring systems, and learning processes for livelihoods and agriculture programmes.
• Use programme data, market information, assessments, and community feedback to improve programme quality and outcomes.
• Review monitoring reports, evaluations, and assessments to identify lessons, risks, and opportunities for adaptation.
• Support evidence-based decision-making and continuous programme improvement.
• Contribute to learning products and documentation of best practices.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with:
  • Government agriculture agencies
  • Agricultural extension services
  • Farmer organisations
  • Cooperatives
  • Producer groups
  • Private sector partners
  • Development organisations
  • Community stakeholders
• Represent Suyana in technical meetings, coordination forums, and learning events.
• Support partners to strengthen their stakeholder engagement approaches.
• Monitor agriculture and rural development trends to identify opportunities for partnerships and programme expansion.

• Promote safeguarding principles across all livelihoods and agriculture activities.
• Support partners to implement safeguarding standards and responsible programming practices.
• Ensure activities protect the safety, dignity, and wellbeing of children, young people, and vulnerable community members.
• Promote inclusion, equality, and respectful engagement with communities.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in:
  • Agriculture
  • Agronomy
  • Animal Science
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agribusiness
  • Rural Development
  • or a related field.
• A Master’s Degree in Agriculture, Rural Development, Agribusiness, or a related discipline is an added advantage.

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in livelihoods, agriculture, rural development, or economic empowerment programmes.
• Experience designing and implementing agriculture and livelihood projects.
• Experience providing technical advisory support and quality assurance.
• Experience working with:
  • Smallholder farmers
  • Producer groups
  • Cooperatives
  • Rural enterprises
  • Community-based organisations
  • Development partners
• Experience in project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation, and evidence-based programming.
• Experience contributing to proposals, donor reports, and programme learning.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of:
  • Sustainable agriculture
  • Climate-smart agriculture
  • Livestock production
  • Agricultural value chains
  • Market systems development
  • Enterprise development
  • Post-harvest management
  • Rural economic development
• Strong facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and partnership-building abilities.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and programme management skills.
• Ability to analyse data and use evidence to improve programme performance.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of Ugandan local languages is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant agriculture or programme reporting tools.

Personal Attributes

• Strong commitment to improving livelihoods and community resilience.
• Practical and solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to work effectively with farmers, communities, and partners.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills.
• Integrity, accountability, and professionalism.
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for diverse communities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Adaptability, creativity, and commitment to continuous learning.

Key Performance Areas

• Improved quality and sustainability of Suyana livelihoods and agriculture programmes.
• Strong technical support provided to implementing partners.
• Increased adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.
• Improved market access and economic opportunities for communities.
• Effective integration of livelihoods with health, education, and resilience programmes.
• Strong stakeholder partnerships and programme learning.