About Modern Agriculture Animal Husbandry Organization (MAAO):

Modern Agriculture Animal Husbandry Organization (MAAO) is a national, non-political, non-racial, non-profitable and non-governmental organization, based on human values.

MAAO is a national organization with international standards registered with Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ministry of Economy, headquartered is in Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh province.

MAAO operation will be in all part of Afghanistan to boost sustainable economic opportunities through enhancing the agriculture & Livestock productivity, Education, rural development, capacity development and Civil Society, focusing on women role.

MAAO has the ability to provide trainings and conducts researches in agriculture components, in agriculture education for capacity building, value chain in all relevant sectors, vocational trainings, handicrafts, Health and Nutrition, other relevant fields

Position Description:
The Agronomist & Horticulturist will provide technical leadership for the implementation of agriculture and reforestation components of the project. This includes SAMS activities related to wheat and orchard production, as well as rehabilitation and protection of pistachio and wild forest areas. The position requires technical expertise, strong community engagement, and coordination with other sectors.

The Female Agronomist will lead activities focused on kitchen/home gardens to empower women through improved nutrition and agricultural skills. She will engage directly with female-headed households and women participants to deliver tailored technical guidance, training, and follow-up support that enhances household resilience and promotes food security at the grassroots level.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Agronomist & Horticulturist

• Conduct initial assessments, identify beneficiaries, and develop site plans for forest rehabilitation and orchard establishment.
• Deliver technical trainings to farmers on wheat cultivation, orchard management, pest and disease control, and irrigation practices.
• Provide technical support for establishment and maintenance of grape, apple, and peach orchards.
• Support agroforestry activities including seedling distribution, soil management, and trenching in pistachio forests.
• Promote conservation agriculture, climate-smart techniques, and sustainable input use.
• Assist in the procurement and distribution of agricultural tools, seeds, and inputs.
• Monitor agricultural sites regularly and track performance indicators (yields, survival rates, farmer adoption).
• Coordinate closely with Project Engineers to align physical works with agricultural interventions.
• Document success stories, training outcomes, and prepare technical reports.
• Provide support to gender-sensitive programming and women’s inclusion in productive agriculture.

2. Agronomist

• Conduct baseline surveys and help identify eligible households for kitchen gardening programs.
• Design training materials and facilitate capacity-building sessions on sustainable, nutrition-sensitive gardening techniques.
• Guide the proper use of gardening kits, tools, composting methods, seasonal crop selection, and plant protection.
• Monitor each beneficiary’s progress through field visits and assist in troubleshooting gardening problems.
• Liaise with health and nutrition teams to integrate nutrition education into agricultural trainings.
• Maintain updated records of each beneficiary and gardening outputs (vegetable varieties, volume harvested, etc.).
• Collaborate with community elders, women’s groups, and CDCs to encourage acceptance and ownership.
• Develop reports, case studies, and visuals to highlight women’s success stories.

3. PSEA Declaration & Vetting Procedure:

• As an organization committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability, we are dedicated to preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) in all our operations. We expect all employees to maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or harassment.
• By applying for this position, you agree to adhere to our PSEA principles and report any concerns or incidents related to misconduct promptly to the designated focal point within the organization. Failure to comply with these standards may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
• As part of our commitment to safeguarding vulnerable individuals, we conduct a thorough vetting process for all candidates. This includes a specific inquiry into any past allegations, investigations, or disciplinary actions related to sexual misconduct.
• We will ask all references to confirm if the candidate has ever been subject to any such issues, left employment pending an investigation, or refused to cooperate with an investigation related to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

4. Protection Tasks

• Consider the protection needs of beneficiaries and ensure to mitigate harm to beneficiaries.
• Support beneficiaries with specific needs to access referral services and additional support.
• Ensure, “Do No Harm” strategies are practiced and the field teams are briefed and guidance provided properly.

5. Soft Skills

• Ability to cope well under pressure, work irregular hours and meet tight deadlines
• Sound organizational skills and ability to prioritize and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under severe time pressures
• Strong English Writing skills
• Report writing and communication skills
• Deadline-Oriented
• Attention to details

6. Additional Job Responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities set out above are not exhaustive, and the postholder may be required to carry out additional duties from time to time, subject to change with the evolution of the project progress and in accordance with project nature, MAAO, and donor requirements, which are reasonable in relation to their level of skills and experience. The post holder is required to carry out the tasks that are unforeseen issues and circumstances in relation to the project and should remain adaptable to perform responsibilities that may not be mentioned above as and when required.

Job Requirements:

Competence:

Passionate to work, teamwork oriented, problem-solving skills, excellent communication, interpretation and analytical skills, providing feedback, willingness to work in tough field conditions, meet tight deadlines, work under pressure, willingness to travel based on need and requirement, a self-oriented and good planner with professional communication and representation skills.

Core Competencies:

Highly motivated, effective communication skills, both verbally and written in group or individual.

Experience utilizing computers including word processing, spreadsheet and other software packages.

Familiarity with Cluster work at national or sub-national level

Be respectful, possess cultural and political awareness and sensitivity

Demonstrate flexibility, consistency and sound work ethics.

Integrity, loyalty and discretion on high standard.

Work Experience

• At least 3–5 years of field experience in agriculture/forestry programs, and for female agronomist minimum 2 years of experience in community-based agriculture or women’s livelihood projects or implementation of project activities with National and International NGOs.

• Experience in program coordination, preferably in emergency context will be an asset.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agronomy, Horticulture, Agroforestry, or Agricultural Development.
• Knowledge of SAMS frameworks, WFP agricultural guidelines, and farmer field school approaches.
• Very good written and oral English skills, experience in usage of digital data collection platforms, i.e., MODA, KOBO, etc.
• Experience working with rural communities, producer groups and knowledge of local agricultural practices.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and documentation skills.
• Good technical reporting and communication skills.

Interested and qualified candidates can submit their CVs along with a cover letter to the HR Department of MAAO through the link address: https://www.maao.org.af/Jobs-Listing-Page-main/jobs.html 

Please note, while sending your C.V & Cover letter, please mention the vacancy number and position in the subject line, application received after the closing date and without subject line will not be taken in consideration. Local applicants from the same province are encouraged to apply and will be given priority.

Due to huge number of applications, only those applicants who meet the minimum qualification and requirements for the mentioned position will be contacted for the written test and interview.