At Grassland Cameroon we believe in African farmers. We know that with the right resources, they can improve their livelihoods and escape poverty. We also believe that our solutions can be profit making and sustainable, making certain that our farmers have uninterrupted assistance over several years.

Our goal is to enable farmers increase their productivity, access markets and ensure that their production is properly managed after harvest.

What We Do :

We are a food storage, drying, and distribution company that sources products from smallholder farmers, whom we support during the season with input loans and training, so that they can be more productive. We transform the farmers’ produce into standardized, graded products that we sell across the country, to buyers who can be sure of the quality they receive. In three years of operations, we have worked with about 400 farmers, across almost 250 hectares of land and conditioned over 500 tons of corn.

Outgrower Program :

Currently serving about 400 farmers, our outgrower program provides asset-based credit to smallholder farmers in exchange for maize at harvest. To further improve farmer productivity, we also provide training and extension services, as well as equipment rentals. Through our program, farmers have seen their yields almost triple, while their incomes have increased by almost 200%. It is our hope to expand this program to reach 100 000 farmers in the next decade.

About the Role :

We are looking for an experienced agronomist, who will support our farmer outgrower program by designing farmer production schedules and farm monitoring strategies, all while weaving in latest precision farming technology to our operations. The job will involve a combination of research, project management, and communication. The Agronomist will receive supervision from our Operations Supervisor & CEO. It is a field-oriented position, with a consistent blend of fieldwork, data tracking & data analysis. The successful candidate will be willing to get their hands dirty and work closely with farmers while conducting research and data analysis independently. We are looking for someone with significant maize research experience, who can work in a non scripted, start-up environment and is aware of industry trends, as well as familiar with cutting edge technology. This role would require significant travel within the Center region and to other production zones. 90 percent is spent in rural areas.

Your responsibilities will include :

• Conduct farm visits for frequent crop/soil sampling ;
• Collaborate with rest of Operations team to design suitable crop production schedule ;
• Research & introduce high yield seeds that are appropriate for soil ;
• Research & introduce practices to improve farmer yield per HA ;
• Research, develop & promote practices to reduce changes in soil, climate, weather & damage from pests ;
• Research & promote cheap alternatives to irrigation ;
• Suggest cost saving methods for fertilizer application e.g. liquid fertilizer solution, etc. ;
• Outgrower program monitoring and management ;
• Conduct extension agent training using demonstration plots ;
• Conduct frequent soil & moisture tests on crops ;
• Calculate GDD rate based on collected farm data ;
• Interpret GIS data from UAV flights analysis ;
• Ensure production remains on schedule and there’s swift response to pest/mold attacks ;
• Consistently research and test seed varieties for improved crop yield.

Qualifications :

• At least five years of professional work experience (experience in maize production or maize research is a plus) ;
• A demonstrated ability to work on a variety of tasks at the same time, and keep track of a variety of work-streams ;
• Passionate about crop production & food security, with demonstrated commitment to working with rural communities ;
• Experience traveling, living and/or working in Africa ;
• Must be fluent (or advanced business proficiency) in English & French ;
• Problem solver with a strong commitment to excellence, and an outstanding work ethic; Strong analytical skills ;
• Flexible and adaptable to changing environments; thrives in a bootstrapped culture ;
• Strong technology skills (knowledge of MSOffice, Google Docs, Slack, Trello & other productivity software applications) ;
• Experience in UAVs, remote sensing & GIS data management is preferred.

What you get :

• Be part of a fast growing startup that is generating revenue ;
• To remain yourself while part of a unique blend of world class professionals ;
• Unparalleled personal and professional growth, while training the next generation of young African farmers ;
• To improve the livelihoods of the world’s poorest population, while ensuring that the solution is profit making and sustainable.

Candidature :

If you think this is for you, we are excited to hear from you. Please send your resume and cover letter to ​careers@grassland-africa.com​. In your cover letter, please state what excites you the most about this role, and what you think will be most challenging about it.