Job Title: Crop Agronomist
The National Agricultural Research Organisation is established by the National Agricultural Research Act 2005 as a body corporate with the mandate to provide strategic direction for publically funded agricultural research in Uganda. The organisation is composed of the Council as its governing body, Committees of Council, a Secretariat for its day-to-day operations with semi-autonomous Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARI’s) under its policy guidance. The Director General invites applications from suitably qualified Ugandans for the following positions at PARIs and NARO Secretariat.
Overall Responsibilities:
Successful applicants of the above scientific positions shall be required to independently employ their broad knowledge of principles, practices and procedures in integrated natural resources management to plan, design, and conduct research and present findings in the relevant fields of expertise. Shall routinely carry out scientific research in partnership with thematic multi-disciplinary research teams as well as national and international collaborators to develop new or improved technologies, systems, methods and policies aimed at enhancing productivity, eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable use of natural resources.
Task and Responsibilities:
Collect, analyse and interpret agronomy and on-farm research trial data.
Develop and implement farmer participatory research methodologies for systems management research.
Study the effects of various cropping systems on crop yield and determine the most efficient cropping system for optimum crop production.
Identify nutrient needs of the various crops (plant nutrition) and develop corrective measures to alleviate the problems.
Develop appropriate crop and soil management technologies that are gender responsive and avoids soil resource mining but increase crop yield.
Study the effects of weeds, weed competition and nutrient mining on crop yield, diseases and insect pests.
Disseminate study results through farmer feedback workshops, training workshops and sessions, conferences, seminars, brochures, newsletters, journals, reports, media, field days and agricultural shows.
Offer training to farmers, extension personnel, university students and interested parties on pasture improvement and management.
Minimum Qualifications:
Applicants should hold at least a Masters degree in Agronomy with at least three years working experience. Should possess good skills in experimental design, data collection, analysis, interpretation and report writing. Possession of a PhD is an added advantage. Applicants with either Bachelors Degree in Agriculture or Bachelors of Science in Zoology (Upper Second) may be considered.
Application Procedures:
Interested persons with the above requirements should submit hand-written applications together with a detailed curriculum vitae giving day-time telephone numbers and names and addresses of 3 (three) referees as well as copies of professional certificates and testimonials to the undersigned not later than 5.00 p.m on 16th July 2012. For the position of Director, applicants should ask their referees to send recommendations to the Director General by 20 July 2012.
Applications should bear the title of the post as well as the reference number specified against the vacancy indicating the institute of preference. Applicants must not apply for more than two posts. Applications should be addressed to:
The Director General,
National Agricultural Research Organization,
P.O.Box 295, Entebbe
