Field Extension Deputy Lead (GCF Thai Rice)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Nonprofits / องค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร
1400
24 May 2024
20 June 2024

As an international cooperation enterprise with worldwide operations, the German government-owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH operates on behalf of German ministries, the governments of other countries and international clients to provide tailor-made, cost-efficient and effective services for sustainable development. With over 60 years of experience implementing projects in Thailand, GIZ provides policy and technical advice on various topics and sectors relating to Thailand’s reform process, including: climate policy, sustainable economic development, and sustainable agriculture.

Field Extension Deputy Lead

We are looking for a Field Extension Deputy Lead to manage field operations of GIZ field offices within the project “Thai Rice: Strengthening Climate-Smart Rice Farming”, to be implemented by GIZ with four executing entities. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a 38-million euro grant contribution towards the project. The co-financing is provided by Thai public sector partners, and executing entities, including the Thai Rice Department, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Planning (ONEP), and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and international private sector partners. Further information: https://www.greenclimate.fund/project/fp214.

Thai Rice GCF: Strengthening Climate-Smart Rice Farming

Rice is Thailand’s most important food crop, accounting for roughly half of agricultural land and employing 18 million smallholder farmers. Rice farmers are among the poorest occupational groups in Thailand. They are extremely vulnerable to climate change: rice farming is a water-intensive and temperature-sensitive activity conducted in a climate that is becoming increasingly characterised by longer dry spells and higher temperatures. At the same time, rice farming is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Smallholder farmers have limited capacity to adapt, given their small farm sizes and low incomes, and their limited access to technical assistance, markets and credit.

The “Thai Rice: Strengthening Climate-Smart Rice Farming” project aims to promote low-emission and climate-resilient rice farming. It aims to benefit more than 250,000 smallholder farmers – strengthening their yields, livelihoods, food security, and ability to cope with climate risks. It also has potential to mitigate 2.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The project follows a bottom-up logic: empower vulnerable smallholder farmers to make improved decisions in the face of climate change and scale access to climate-smart farming technologies. Policymakers will be supported with technical assistance, monitoring tools, and organizational support to achieve a more ‘joined up’ institutional and policy environment for climate-smart rice. Governments across the region will benefit through knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning.

Job highlights:

Job with purpose: Work to significantly scale climate-smart rice farming in Thailand
Pioneering topics: Translate innovation into effective application
Dynamic team: Join a mixed international and local, highly dedicated team

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Field Extension Lead will co-lead the implementation and operations of GIZ field offices in North, Northeast and Central Plain regions, to do professional extension work for Thai rice farmers in 21 provinces. S/he will serve as co-leader, coordinator, and resource person for innovative climate smart agricultural extension within the project and will ensure the delivery of extension outputs agreed in a division of tasks with Head of field operation.

The Field Extension Lead will carry out the following tasks:

Responsibilities

Establish and operationalize the project’s climate smart agricultural extension approach to include:
- Design an innovative and effective extension concept that ensures the adoption of farmers on climate smart agricultural practices 21 provinces.
- Align and link the approach with the government’s policy and activities
- Identify the challenges, risks, measures, and impacts of extension,
- Implement the designed innovative climate smart agricultural extension approach in 21 provinces
- Conduct monitoring and assessment of effectiveness of extension activities.
- Prepare of update reports; and
- Participate in knowledge sharing dialogues.
Provide management and overall guidance of the innovative climate smart agriculture extension approach,
Coordinate and work closely with public and private partners, particularly in extension works for both Bangkok based offices and regional based offices.
Lead selected GIZ field teams in North, Northeast and Central Plain regions to successfully implement the innovative climate smart agricultural extension and achieve the project’s goal and indicators, including:
- Provide guidance and technical advice regarding climate smart agricultural technologies, innovative extension system, farmers’ engagement, digital learning, etc.
- Facilitate and coordinate GIZ field teams to align and link with the government’s policy and activities.
Monitor and report the progress of extension activities of GIZ field operation and public partners, to ensure the extension activities are on track with project timeline and be able to achieve project indicators.
Liaison with the GIZ and public partners, including the Project Steering Committee, for strategic advice on Extension matters.
Close coordination of all activities with Head of field operation
Participate in a proactive way in the prevention and resolution of conflict.

Other duties:

Support the development of work plans to fulfill the project objective(s)
Regularly update manager(s) on relevant progress and seek advice as needed to ensure high-quality, effective, and timely execution of activities
Ensure proper documentation of project information to promote knowledge transfer
Formulate appropriate input for reports including annual reports, and contribute to other reports required by the project director, GIZ Head Office, and/or commissioners
Perform other duties and tasks at the request of management

Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in a relevant field
Knowledge and experience in farmer engagement, agricultural extension, and climate smart agricultural technologies.
Experience working with development projects
Proven work experience with government agencies, local communities, and NGOs
Experience in community outreach and participatory approaches
Experience in leading field teams
Strong background and broad experience in agricultural extension
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Fluent command of Thai and English both spoken and written is absolutely required
Excellent command of MS Office package (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and Microsoft Teams
Knowledge of digital applications in agriculture and agricultural extension is a strong asset

Personal attributes and competencies:

Thai nationality only
Self-motivated, flexible and resourceful
Good organizational and conceptualization skill
Hands-on mentality and detail-oriented work ethics
Ability to work independently and in a team
Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines with strong attention to consistency, detail, and quality
Interest and desire to work in a cross-cultural context, climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable agriculture value chains.
Ability to work with several partners and actors.