Sorghum Agronomist

Job description

Dreaming big is in our DNA. It’s who we are as a company. It’s our culture. It’s our heritage. And more than ever, it’s our future. A future where we’re always looking forward. Always serving up new ways to meet life’s moments. A future where we keep dreaming bigger. We look for people with passion, talent, and curiosity, and provide them with the teammates, resources and opportunities to unleash their full potential. The power we create together – when we combine your strengths with ours – is unstoppable. Are you ready to join a team that dreams as big as you do?

The key purpose of this role is to play a critical part in developing, managing, and securing a sustainable supply of high-quality sorghum for the brewing business. The position is responsible for managing farmer relationships, implementing sustainable sourcing strategies, coordinating research and field trials, overseeing crop production programs, supporting farmer cooperatives, and ensuring the successful aggregation and delivery of sorghum grain to agreed quality standards. plays a critical role in developing, managing, and securing a sustainable supply of high-quality sorghum for the brewing business. The position is responsible for managing farmer relationships, implementing sustainable sourcing strategies, coordinating research and field trials, overseeing crop production programs, supporting farmer cooperatives, and ensuring the successful aggregation and delivery of sorghum grain to agreed quality standards.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Farmer Contracting and Engagement

• Ensure timely registration, contracting, and legal compliance of sorghum farmers.
• Recruit, mobilize, and maintain a sustainable network of sorghum producers.
• Facilitate and strengthen cooperative engagement and farmer group development.
• Build strong relationships with farmers, cooperatives, aggregators, and local stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary contact person for contracted farmer groups and cooperatives.
• Ensure all participating farmers are aligned with company production protocols and requirements.

Sustainability Strategy Implementation

Support the implementation of the AB InBev Sustainability Strategy through

Skilled Farmers

• Ensure all sorghum farmers receive regular training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
• Conduct field demonstrations, farmer days, workshops, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• Develop training materials and extension support tools.

Connected Farmers

• Ensure farmers have access to industry knowledge and market information through SMS, WhatsApp, email, radio, and other communication channels.
• Share seasonal production information, weather updates, and agronomic recommendations.

Financially Empowered Farmers

• Support farmers in accessing available financing opportunities.
• Provide basic farm business management training.
• Improve farmer understanding of profitability, budgeting, and financial planning.

Regenerative Agriculture

• Promote sustainable and climate-smart agriculture practices.
• Encourage crop rotation, minimum tillage, soil conservation, and water management practices.
• Support responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship initiatives.

Input Management

• Identify and recommend suitable sorghum varieties based on brewery specifications and growing environments.
• Coordinate procurement and timely distribution of seed, fertilizers, and crop protection products.
• Monitor input distribution and usage.
• Ensure only approved varieties and inputs are utilized by contracted farmers.
• Assess requirements and coordinate the provision of farming equipment and materials.

Crop Monitoring and Advisory Services

• Oversee land preparation, planting, weeding, fertilization, crop protection, and harvesting operations.
• Monitor crop development throughout the entire growing season.
• Provide professional agronomic support and advisory services to farmers.
• Monitor pest, disease, weed, and nutrient management practices.
• Conduct regular farm visits and field inspections.
• Assess field site characteristics and production risks.
• Monitor climatic conditions and advise mitigation measures where necessary.
• Provide regular updates on:
  • Area planted
  • Crop condition
  • Yield forecasts
  • Production estimates
  • Crop loss risks

Research, Trials and Development

Working with the Trial Manager, Agronomists, Breeders, and Research Specialists

• Design, implement, supervise, and evaluate sorghum research trials.
• Participate in projects and experiments in agronomy and crop production.
• Review, select, and modify trial methodologies where necessary.
• Assume responsibility for technical execution of field experiments.
• Evaluate new technologies and support their implementation.
• Conduct variety evaluations and agronomic assessments.
• Compile experimental and analytical data.
• Analyze results and provide recommendations.
• Support annual review and improvement of sorghum production protocols.
• Generate high-quality trial data within agreed timelines.
• Apply statistical tools to analyze trial results.

Project Planning and Execution

• Plan and implement annual sorghum production programs.
• Develop seasonal activity plans and implementation schedules.
• Ensure projects are executed according to scientific, operational, safety, and quality standards.
• Support sustainable sourcing and regenerative agriculture initiatives.
• Coordinate workload and supervision of seasonal workers.
• Organize schedules for land, equipment, and resource utilization.
• Ensure project objectives, timelines, and deliverables are achieved.

Harvesting, Aggregation and Supply Management

• Coordinate harvesting activities according to prescribed standards.
• Support and oversee grain buying and aggregation activities.
• Ensure compliance with quality specifications during procurement.
• Monitor storage, transportation, and delivery logistics.
• Minimize post-harvest losses.
• Ensure transparent and fair buying procedures.
• Maintain documentation for procurement, dispatch, and warehouse deliveries.
• Verify that farmers receive fair and timely compensation.
• Support warehouse receipt and inventory systems.

Cooperative Development and Farmer Capacity Building

• Strengthen governance and operational effectiveness of farmer cooperatives.
• Identify gaps in governance, compliance, financial management, and risk management.
• Provide mentorship and technical support to cooperative leadership.
• Build farmer capacity in:
  • Agronomy
  • Farm business management
  • Record keeping
  • Sustainability practices
  • Quality requirements

Monitoring, Data Collection and Reporting

• Maintain accurate farmer and production databases.
• Track planting, input uptake, crop performance, and yields.
• Collect and manage production and trial data using digital systems.
• Prepare:
  • Weekly activity reports
  • Monthly operational reports
  • Sustainability reports
  • Crop estimates
  • Trial reports
  • Seasonal performance reviews
• Maintain accurate records of field activities and project outcomes.
• Assist with expenditure monitoring and budget tracking.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaise with government ministries, regulatory authorities, research institutions, and agricultural organizations.
• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders supporting sorghum development.
• Ensure company activities comply with applicable regulations and policies.
• Participate in farmer days, exhibitions, field demonstrations, and technical forums.
• Promote the company’s sustainable agriculture initiatives.

Equipment, Asset and Safety Management

• Ensure proper use, maintenance, and storage of farm and research equipment.
• Coordinate equipment servicing and repairs.
• Maintain equipment inventories.
• Recommend purchase of equipment and materials where necessary.
• Operate agricultural machinery and digital farming tools.
• Ensure compliance with company health, safety, environmental, and quality standards.
• Ensure proper handling, storage, and disposal of agrochemicals and hazardous materials.
• Strengthen the culture of safety and quality within all field operations.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Delivery of contracted sorghum volume according to annual targets.
• Farmer recruitment and retention.
• Yield and productivity improvement.
• Research trial quality and completion.
• Sustainability KPI achievement.
• Farmer training completion rates.
• Quality compliance of delivered grain.
• Reduction of post-harvest losses.
• Cooperative development outcomes.
• Timely and accurate reporting.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, Plant Science, Crop Science, Agriculture, or a related agricultural discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in agricultural production, extension, crop management, or agronomy.
• Experience working with sorghum production systems is highly desirable.
• Experience managing field trials and farmer development programs.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in agricultural production, extension, crop management, or agronomy.
• Experience working with sorghum production systems is highly desirable.
• Experience managing field trials and farmer development programs.
• Experience working with smallholder farmers and cooperatives.
• Experience working with smallholder farmers and cooperatives.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in agricultural production, extension, crop management, or agronomy.
• Experience working with sorghum production systems is highly desirable.
• Experience managing field trials and farmer development programs.
• Experience working with smallholder farmers and cooperatives.

Additional Information

• Band: VIII
• Valid driver’s license with a minimum of 5 years driving experience.
• Motorbike riding experience will be an added advantage.
• Willingness to travel extensively across sorghum-growing regions.

The advert has minimum requirements listed. Appointments will be made in line with ABInBev recruitment policy and talent requirements. Assessments and background checks form part of the recruitment process. Management reserves the right to use additional/ relevant information as criteria for short-listing.