Agronomy / Horticulture graduate Intern

Description

Title: Agronomy/Horticulture Graduate Intern

Location: Kabale supporting Kigezi Region

Reporting / Supervisor: Horticulture Production Manager.

Duration: 4 months

TechnoServe Background:

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are a non-profit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital, and markets. With over four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

Program Overview:

TechnoServe is collaborating with consortium partners Agriterra and Wageningen University and Research to execute the five-year Growing Resilience and Opportunities for Wealth Through Horticulture (GROWTH) project, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN). This initiative fosters a market-oriented, resilient, and inclusive horticultural ecosystem in Uganda, targeting approximately 100,000 smallholder farmers (SHFs). By engaging with communities and Farmer Organizations (FOs) including SACCOs and cooperatives the project boosts productivity and improves access to markets and financial services. GROWTH builds on the foundations of programs like HortiMap, prioritizing systemic change, sustainability, and local ownership within the Ugandan horticulture industry.

Job Summary:

The Agronomy/Horticulture graduate Intern will support the GROWTH Programme’s horticulture production activities in Kigezi and Rwampara. Under the supervision of the Horticulture Production Manager and in coordination with the Associate Agronomy Advisor and other project staff, the graduate intern will provide field-level support to demonstration sites, farmer training, crop monitoring, nursery activities, data collection and other agronomy activities.

The role is designed as a temporary field-support and learning position. The graduate intern will work under guidance and will not have independent responsibility for programme coordination, partner management or technical supervision.

The role requires frequent field travel within assigned project region.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Support establishment, monitoring and documentation of horticulture demonstration plots and farmer learning sites.
• Support nursery establishment and routine nursery management activities.
• Support farmer training and practical field demonstrations on GAP, CSA, crop production, safe use of agro-chemicals, post-harvest handling and produce quality.
• Support routine crop monitoring, pest and disease identification and basic technical follow-up under supervision.
• Support field visits to farmers, demonstration sites and farmer groups in Kigezi and Rwampara.
• Support mobilisation of farmers for trainings, demonstrations, field days and other learning activities.
• Collect field data, photographs and activity evidence using digital data collection tools.
• Support monitoring of farmer adoption of promoted practices and technologies.
• Support preparation of simple field updates, activity reports and documentation of lessons and success stories.
• Support coordination of agronomy activities with the Associate Agronomy Advisor and other GROWTH team members.
• Undertake other field-support responsibilities assigned by the supervisor

Required Skills And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Agriculture (Crop Science), Agronomy, or a related field from a recognized institution.
• Must have graduated within the last 3 years.
• Previous internship, field attachment or practical experience in horticulture or agronomy is an advantage.
• Basic knowledge of horticulture production, GAP, CSA, pest and disease management and farmer extension approaches.
• Practical exposure to demonstration plots, farmer training or technology promotion is an advantage.
• Ability to collect, manage, and report real time, field data using digital data collection, monitoring and reporting tools.
• Good computer skills, especially Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle with a valid riding permit and willingness to undertake frequent field travel within the assigned districts
• Proficiency in local languages spoken within the Kigezi region is an added advantage.

Travel: Frequent field travel within Kabale, Rubanda, Rukiga and Rwampara is required.

Key competencies

• Willingness to learn and work in the field.
• Basic practical horticulture/agronomy skills.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Attention to detail and good record keeping.
• Proactive and willing to work under supervision.
• Ability to work in rural and field environments.
• Commitment to professional conduct and integrity.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, colour, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.