Head of Agronomy

The Head of Agronomy is responsible for leading all agronomic strategy farmer engagement and crop production activities to ensure optimal yields quality and sustainability. This role provides technical and strategic leadership across soil management crop planning farmer selection seed quality and production monitoring with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and stakeholder collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

Agronomic Strategy & Crop Production

• Develop and implement agronomic strategies to maximise crop yields quality and production efficiency per hectare.
• Monitor crop performance across all growth stages including land preparation emergence vegetative growth bulking and maturity.
• Oversee pre- and post-harvest processes including pre-harvest inspections and grading training (with a focus on potatoes and field crops).
• Determine annual planting hectarage aligned to sales forecasts and production budgets.

Soil Seed & Quality Management

• Ensure soil health and suitability through regular laboratory analysis of soil seed and crop samples.
• Evaluate and improve seed quality including germination performance and seed survival analysis.
• Conduct quality control testing to ensure alignment between soil type crop selection and expected yield outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement in production standards through trials data analysis and applied research.

Farmer Selection & Contract Management

• Lead farmer selection and contracting based on agronomic suitability historical performance infrastructure water access and soil analysis.
• Conduct regular farm and farmer assessments to ensure compliance with agronomic standards.
• Deliver agronomic training to farmers and recommend crop budgets based on soil and production analysis.
• Monitor contracted farmers throughout the production cycle to ensure quality yield and delivery targets are met.

Data Reporting & Governance

• Ensure accurate data capture analysis and reporting for crop production soil performance and yield forecasting.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations to support operational planning and management decisions.
• Develop implement and enforce agronomy policies procedures and operating standards.

Stakeholder & Institutional Engagement

• Represent the organisation at stakeholder forums and industry meetings including engagements with the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Liaise with financial institutions to support farmer funding market-offtake arrangements and letters of support.
• Maintain strong working relationships with farmers regulators and industry partners.

Decision-Making Authority

• Approve farmer selection and contracting.
• Determine planting plans crop monitoring actions and harvest readiness.
• Make agronomic decisions related to crop performance quality and production efficiency.

People Leadership

• Provide technical and operational leadership to the Agronomist and Agronomy Assistant.
• Hold regular performance and planning meetings to ensure effective execution of agronomy programmes.
• Build a high-performing accountable agronomy team aligned to production targets.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Bachelor s degree in Agronomy or Crop Science.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in a senior agronomy or agricultural management role.
• Strong hands-on experience in crop production soil management seed quality and farmer engagement.

Advantageous

• Postgraduate qualification or diploma in Agriculture or Agribusiness.
• Management or leadership development training.
• Experience working with contract farming and regulated agricultural value chains.