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Vacancies (19)
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AGRONOMIST cum SOCIAL MOBILIZEREmployer Caritas Switzerland |
| Information on vacancy | |
| Period of publication | 16.03.2026 - 30.03.2026 |
| Field of activity / position: |
Agriculture, irrigation / Agronom |
| Duties | Project: Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resource Management in the Zarafshan River Basin Funding: Swiss Government Implementing Agencies: Caritas Switzerland (lead) and the Regional Environment Center for Central Asia (CAREC) Duty Station: Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with frequent travel to provinces of the Zarafshan Geographic Focus: Zarafshan River Basin (Samarkand, Jizzakh, Navoi, Bukhara, Kashkadrya provinces) Contracting Entity: Caritas Switzerland, Branch Office in Uzbekistan Contract Period: April 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027 Workload: Full-time (100%) Note: Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. 1. Background The Zarafshan River Basin in Uzbekistan faces increasing pressure from climate change, water scarcity, and land degradation. Women farmers play an essential role in agricultural production yet often have limited access to training, resources, and climate-resilient technologies. The Swiss-funded "Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resource Management" project, implemented by Caritas Switzerland in consortium with CAREC, aims to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable water management at community and basin levels through broad uptake of gender aware water saving approaches and technologies. One key institutional achievement of the project has been the establishment of a River Basin Council (RBC) for the Zarafshan River Basin in Uzbekistan, and it is expected that the RBC will play a key coordinating role in maintaining the approaches developed for integrated water resource management. In adopting a people-centered approach, this position will support established women production groups in adopting, demonstrating and championing approaches for water saving in agriculture, strengthening technical skills, enhancing adaptive capacity and improving the voice of women farmers in influencing water management decisions within the Zarafshan River Basin and its Council. Knowledge gained, and lessons learned therefrom, will be strategically utilized to consolidate, capitalize and institutionalize the approaches jointly developed with provincial and national partners (specifically the Agriculture Knowledge and and Innovation System (AKIS) agency under the Ministry of Agriculture). Effort will also be devoted to understanding the impact that water saving approaches and technologies have on women farmers, as well for well-being within their households. This understanding will assist in shaping policy recommendations for broad uptake of water saving technologies and approaches nationally, with continued support for adoption through incentives provided by the government and the private sector. 2. Objective of the Assignment To provide agronomic expertise, practical training, and social mobilization support enabling women production groups in the Zarafshan River Basin to adopt climate-smart practices and water-saving approaches that improve productivity, water use efficiency, and resilience to both weather and climate change. Understand and document the impact these approaches have on women, their households and their local communities through support to relevant communication and visibility material and events. Effective collaboration will be required with provincial branches of national ministries and specifically with AKIS (under the Ministry of Agriculture) and equally important with the Zarafshan River Basin Council established under this project mandate in support of broad uptake. The position will also support the process of formal integration of water saving approaches (led by the women production groups and all participating farmers more generally) into provincial AKIS portfolios and mandates, and support any necessary capacity strengthening for AKIS. 3. Scope of Work 3.1 Agronomic Advisory Services - Assess current farming practices, challenges, water availability, and training needs of women's groups. - Support uptake of weather-based irrigation advisory services to address existing challenges related to access to natural resources and existing capacities. - Provide continuous, field-based agronomic guidance throughout production cycles. - Advise on measures for improving soil fertility, crop rotation, seed/system selection, integrated pest management, and effective post-harvest techniques. - Contribute to a phased hand-over planning process that identifies the most suitable partner (AKIS, agricultural cluster or other institutional partner) and modalities for hand-over. 3.2 Training and Capacity Building - Prepare adapted training materials suitable for women farmers with diverse literacy levels, for post-project utilization by AKIS and other relevant entities. - Conduct hands-on trainings on regenerative agricultural practices, soil and water conservation, measures for improving water-use efficiency, and climate-smart management practices. - Facilitate farmer field schools, demonstration days, and learning exchanges. - Mentor group leaders to serve as community-level peer trainers (for farmers of both sexes) to achieve autonomy of the groups. - Involve AKIS, ZRB council members and others in the joint development of training materials and training events. - Contribute to phased hand-over planning. 3.3 Social Mobilization and Group Strengthening - Mobilize and strengthen women production groups for collective learning and action. - Facilitate participatory processes, ensuring inclusive and culturally appropriate engagement. - Promote leadership development and group cohesion for autonomy after first season. - Engage community leaders and male household members to support women's participation. - Encourage collective initiatives such as group input procurement or market linkages. 3.4 Monitoring, Learning, and Reporting - Develop simple tools to track adoption, productivity changes, and water-use efficiency. - Document lessons learned, success stories, and barriers, and proactively communicate with AKIS, the RBC and relevant entities for broad uptake. - Contribute to project-wide Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning activities. - Contribute to the development of relevant communication and visibility materials. - Contribute to effective discussion within a working group established under the River Basin Council to enhance visibility of the women production groups and their voice in decision making processes. 4. Deliverables - A minimum of fifty women supported within a minimum of five women production groups that have been established. - A standardized AKIS-validated training curriculum for gender-aware water management is prepared and tested with the women production groups with specific attention to water saving technologies and approaches (such as weather-based irrigation advisory services) and associated agronomic practices. - Weather-based irrigation advisory services are utilized by the women production groups and championed to farmers (male; female) within their local communities. - Establish and lead a working group under the River Basin Council, established by the project, dedicated to enhancing the voice of women farmers in influencing water management decisions made within the Zarafshan River Basin. - Prepare an exit strategy for the women production groups, fostering sustainable linkages between the groups, agricultural clusters and AKIS for post-project support. - Support the Regional Director and the Consortium Representative/Senior Technical Advisor in the preparation of relevant policy briefs and notes to support effective dialogue in support of upscaling the approaches developed. |
| Requirements to the candidate | |
| Age: | N/a |
| Gender: | Irrelevant |
| Residence: | Узбекистан |
| Education: | Higher |
| Professional requirements | Qualifications and Experience: - University degree in Agronomy, Agricultural Extension, Soil Science, or related field. - Minimum 5 years of experience supporting smallholder agriculture; experience with women's groups preferred. - Knowledge of climate-smart agriculture and water-saving technologies as well as in supporting the broad uptake of these within rural communities. - Experience implementing farmer field schools or similar participatory methods. - Strong communication and facilitation skills; ability to convey technical information simply in the local language. - Experience of working in rural contexts of the Zarafshan River Basin (Samarkand, Jizzakh, Navoi, Bukhara and Kashkadarya provinces) is an asset. - Working knowledge of spoken English is an asset and may be tested during the interview; fluency in local languages is required. |
| Working conditions | |
| Region | 5 provinces of Uzbekistan: Samarkand, Navoi, Djizzakh, Kashkadaryo and Bukhara |
| Employment | Full |
| Salary offered | N/A |
| Extra motivation | Reporting and Coordination: The Agronomist will report directly to the Consortium Representative/Senior Technical Advisor of Caritas Switzerland and indirectly to the Country-Regional Director and work in coordination with Caritas Switzerland's field coordinator/facilitator and communication officer (currently also the gender focal point). She/He will have a close working relationship with colleagues supporting broad uptake of water saving technologies and approaches (specifically the water management specialist), and collaborate closely with local authorities, community representatives as well as agricultural cluster management where the women production groups are active. The agronomist will also collaborate with a team (under the lead of the communication officer) to prepare unified and consolidated communication material that details success in the engagement with the women production groups. |
| Additional information | |
| Additional information: | Ethical and Gender Considerations: - Ensure that all activities are undertaken in a gender-sensitive, inclusive, and culturally respectful manner. - Promote women's leadership, decision-making and voice in for a related to water management. - Uphold confidentiality, professionalism, and safeguarding standards. Application Procedure: Interested candidates are requested to submit the following documents: • Curriculum Vitae (CV) • Motivation letter Applications should be sent to: recruitment-uz@caritas.ch Subject line: Application – Water Management Specialist Application deadline: 25 March 2026 Recruitment Process Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis during the application period. Caritas Switzerland reserves the right to make an offer before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified, due to the urgency of filling this position. Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. |
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