Mechanization Specialist – Ethiopia At International Maize and Wheat Improvement

Mechanization Specialist

(IRS Position Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, is a not-for-profit agricultural research for development organization with partners in over 100 countries. Please refer to our website for more information: www.cimmyt.org

CIMMYT is seeking an international Mechanization Specialist to develop and implement CIMMYT´s Mechanization portfolio and platform through research development for smallholder’ farmers in developing world. This will cover mechanization for crop production and processing, agricultural machinery market research intelligence, business models, institutionalization and technological standard compliance strategy and policy for sustainable mechanization for improved agro ecology and nutrition. The mechanization work of CIMMYT in several regions of the world, in Latin America, Africa, and Asia offers a great advantage to reach quick impact for smallholder farmers through adaptive research, for example.

The position will be based in CIMMYT’s campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The position may begin remotely from your home base or current location if organizational approval for the relocation to Ethiopia is delayed due to COVID 19.

Specific duties:

• Contribute to the inclusion of mechanization portfolio in ONE CGIAR initiatives
• In collaboration with the supervisor of the position develop R4D proposals to pursue bilateral funding for mechanization within CIMMYT and ONE CGIAR
• Initiate and support regional initiatives and interfere as catalyst for technology transfer from one region to another and vice versa
• Support the implementation of south-south mechanization research strategy, strengthening south-south collaboration with key partners from Asia, Africa, and Latin America
• Collaborate with the integration of digital technology and precision farming in mechanization interventions to ease mechanization services delivery to the last mile
• Support training and delivery of evidence-based mechanization technology, machinery, and equipment for financially poor smallholder farmers
• Support in the development, validation, and implementation of adaptive research methodologies through National Agric Research and Extension Services (NARES) and other relevant government institutions, private sector, and NGO
• Contribute to the development and the implementation of agricultural machinery standards and testing centers as requested by NARES and partner’ countries
• Contribute jointly with FAO and African Union, the implementation of Sustainable Agriculture Mechanization in Africa (SAMA-framework)
• Under the guidance from the supervisor of the position, support the stakeholders and funders to develop a short-, medium-, and long-term agricultural mechanization research agenda to pursue future investment funding plan
• Support and promote to unlock further the research potential of mechanization across (i) its own, (ii) crop production and processing and (iii) livestock feed and processing value chains within CIMMYT and ONE CGIAR
• Produce peer-reviewed research articles
• In collaboration with regional programs to ensure CIMMYT ‘mechanization knowledge and experience of private sector development policy and economics are captured, curated and disseminated across country operations and in ONE CGIAR.