Project Context

The SUSTAIN-RW is a 3-year project aiming at improving food security, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience in the hilly landscapes of Giti Sector through:

• Construction of terraces and water harvesting systems (with installation of a weather station that uses AI to optimize irrigation water management)
• Rehabilitation of a high-altitude irrigation system
• Soil and water conservation works
• Promotion of agroecological and climate-smart agriculture
• Capacity building of farmers through a Training-of-Trainers (ToT) and Farmer Field Life School (FFLS) approach

The project integrates water management, soil fertility, erosion control, crop diversification, agroforestry, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture to build resilient livelihoods.

Role Purpose

Field Animators are the main interface between the project and the farming communities.

They ensure that farmers understand, adopt and apply the sustainable farming, irrigation and land management practices promoted by the project. They will work under the supervision of the Field Coordinator, the Project Agronomist, and Field Engineer, and in close collaboration with Rural Facilitators and Sector technicians.

The project needs to hire 4 competent candidates for the position of Field Animator.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Community Mobilization & Participation

• Mobilize farmers and households in target cells and villages
• Support transparent beneficiary selection
• Strengthen farmers’ engagement and ownership of irrigation, terracing and agroecological activities
• Facilitate interaction between communities, Rural Facilitators and technical staff

2. Training, Demonstration & Knowledge Transfer

• Support and co-facilitate training on:
  • Water harvesting and irrigation practices
  • Soil and water conservation (terraces, mulching, anti-erosion measures)
  • Crop rotation, intercropping, agroforestry
  • Integrated pest management and biological control
  • Nutrition-sensitive agriculture
• Apply Farmer Field School (FFS) and participatory learning approaches
• Support demonstration plots and model farms
• Assist Rural Facilitators in rolling out training to the beneficiary farmers

3. Coaching & On-Farm Support

• Provide continuous follow-up to farmers on:
  • Crop establishment and management
  • Soil fertility and erosion control practices
  • Efficient water use and irrigation scheduling
• Identify implementation problems and refer them to technical staff
• Promote adoption of agroecological production models

4. Monitoring, Data Collection & Reporting

• Collect field data on:
  • Training attendance
  • Adoption of practices
  • Crop performance and challenges
• Support monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities, baseline, midline and endline surveys
• Provide qualitative field feedback to improve project implementation

Required Qualifications:

a) Education

Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in one of the following (or related fields):

• Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Forestry
• Natural Resource Management
• Environmental Science
• Water or Irrigation Management
• Rural Development
• Nutrition or Food Security
• Agroecology or Sustainable Development

b) Experience

At least 2 years of experience in:

• Agricultural extension
• Community development
• Natural resource management
• Food security or nutrition projects

Experience working with rural farming communities is mandatory

c) Technical Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to work effectively with smallholder farmers
• Understanding of:
  • Sustainable agriculture and agroecology
  • Soil fertility and erosion control
  • Water harvesting and irrigation
  • Crop diversification and rotation
• Experience with farmer training or facilitation
• Knowledge of participatory approaches (FFS, ToT, community-based methods)
• Basic skills in data collection, record keeping and reporting
• Familiarity with mobile data collection tools is an asset
• Awareness of ethical community engagement and inclusion

d) Language & Communication

• Fluent in Kinyarwanda
• Working knowledge of English (reading and basic reporting required)
• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills

e) Other Requirements

• Willingness to work in rural areas and travel between communities
• Ability to work in a team and follow technical guidance
• Respect for community dynamics and local knowledge

• Mobilize farmers and households in target cells and villages
• Support transparent beneficiary selection
• Strengthen farmers’ engagement and ownership of irrigation, terracing and agroecological activities
• Facilitate interaction between communities, Rural Facilitators and technical staff
• Support and co-facilitate training on: Water harvesting and irrigation practices, Soil and water conservation (terraces, mulching, anti-erosion measures), Crop rotation, intercropping, agroforestry, Integrated pest management and biological control, Nutrition-sensitive agriculture
• Apply Farmer Field School (FFS) and participatory learning approaches
• Support demonstration plots and model farms
• Assist Rural Facilitators in rolling out training to the beneficiary farmers
• Provide continuous follow-up to farmers on: Crop establishment and management, Soil fertility and erosion control practices, Efficient water use and irrigation scheduling
• Identify implementation problems and refer them to technical staff
• Promote adoption of agroecological production models
• Collect field data on: Training attendance, Adoption of practices, Crop performance and challenges
• Support monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities, baseline, midline and endline surveys
• Provide qualitative field feedback to improve project implementation

• Ability to work effectively with smallholder farmers
• Understanding of sustainable agriculture and agroecology
• Understanding of soil fertility and erosion control
• Understanding of water harvesting and irrigation
• Understanding of crop diversification and rotation
• Experience with farmer training or facilitation
• Knowledge of participatory approaches (FFS, ToT, community-based methods)
• Basic skills in data collection, record keeping and reporting
• Familiarity with mobile data collection tools is an asset
• Awareness of ethical community engagement and inclusion
• Fluent in Kinyarwanda
• Working knowledge of English (reading and basic reporting required)
• Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills
• Willingness to work in rural areas and travel between communities
• Ability to work in a team and follow technical guidance
• Respect for community dynamics and local knowledge

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Horticulture, Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Water or Irrigation Management, Rural Development, Nutrition or Food Security, Agroecology or Sustainable Development
• At least 2 years of experience in agricultural extension, community development, natural resource management, or food security or nutrition projects
• Experience working with rural farming communities is mandatory