MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY & NUTRITION
CIRCULAR NO. 4 OF 2024.
Applications are invited from suitably qualified local candidates for the following positions that are tenable in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition:
MINISTRY : AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECURITY & NUTRITION
SECTION : RESOURCE CENTER
TITLE : AREA TECHNICAL OFFICER (NUTRITION)
GRADE : E
RESPONSIBLE TO : AREA EXTENSION OFFICER
LOCATION : DAO MASERU (1)
JOB SUMMARY
UNDER THE GENERAL SUPERVISION OF THE AREA EXTENSION OFFICER, THE INCUMBENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FACILITATION OF IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF COMMUNITY PROBLEMS THROUGH ALC; DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN; FACILITATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN; INFORMATION DISSEMINATION; PREPARATION OF SUB-SECTIONAL BUDGET, COORDINATION OF SUB-SECTIONAL ACTIVITIES.
MAIN DUTIES
1. FACILITATION OF IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF COMMUNITY PROBLEMS THROUGH ALC.
- Conducts campaigns pertaining to specific nutrition and home economics issues to create public awareness.
- Guides the community in identifying their own problems to provide a basis for their own development programmes.
- Guides the communities in prioritizing their problems to give focus to their efforts.
- Guides the communities in analysing their prioritized problems so as to identify the underlying causes to their problems.
2. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
- Provides information on nutrition and home economics technologies to assist the community in finding solutions to their problems.
- Guides the development of the community action plan in order to define roles, responsibilities and targets.
3. FACILITATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.
- Produces recipes that are nutritionally balanced to improve the nutritional status of the community.
- Modifies locally available recipes to improve their palatability, attractiveness and nutritive value.
- Conducts demonstrations on the produced and modified recipes to promote their consumption.
- Interprets and converts measurements used in recipes so that they can be locally and easily used by the community.
- Provides skills and technical expertise in food technology for the attainment of household food security.
4. PROMOTION OF INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES
- Sensitizes the community on business opportunities available to them within their environment to improve their livelihood.
- Creates awareness on the importance of using locally available resources for cost-effective production.
- Conducts market research to determine the commercial viability of the proposed activity.
- Trains interested groups in producing a market offer with a unique selling proposition to equip them with the necessary skills and technical know- how.
5. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
- Participates in the preparation of radio programmes in the area of expertise to ensure that nutritional and home economics information is shared as widely as possible.
- Sensitizes the community about possible threats to its nutritional status so they can take appropriate action measures.
- Monitors discharged mal-nourished children from hospitals so as to give education to their parents to use balanced diets.
- Educates mothers on mal-nourished children on a balanced diet to improve their weight and nutritional status.
- Provides technical expertise on breast-feeding management and growth monitoring for good prenatal and postnatal care.
- Designs and develops teaching aids for use by agricultural facilitators to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services.
6. PREPARATION OF THE SECTIONAL BUDGET
- Prepares the overall sectional budget annually to ensure that all sectional programs and projects are funded accordingly and implemented smoothly.
- Negotiates and justifies the horticultural crop research budget at the divisional budget discussions in order to secure the necessary funds to finance sectional activities.
- Recommends the review of the sectional budget to the divisional head whenever the need arises to realign it with the changes in the sectional business plan to facilitate the implementation of the critical programs and activities within the section.
7. COORDINATION OF SUB SECTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Liaises with other sub-sectional heads within and outside the resource center to solicit support in the implementation of crops activities.
- Convenes monthly meetings with sub-centre heads for planning and reporting in order to ensure integrated implementation of crops activities.
- Liaises with stakeholders to sensitize them on sub-sectoral developments to facilitate consistency, mutual support and synchronic implementation of crops programmes.
– Diploma in Nutrition and Home Economics
OR
Diploma in Nutrition and Home Economics Education
OR
Certificate in Nutrition and Home Economics Experience
Three years (3) work experience for Certificate holders in nutrition and home economics related activities.
Other necessary knowledge and skills
- Computer literacy
- Leadership skills
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Good conflict management skills
- Extension methods skills
- Technical reporting and writing skills
- Training skills
- For work of others
This factor is not identified with this job
- For property
The job requires the incumbent to ensure safekeeping and proper use of nutrition and home economics equipment, residential and office furniture in the area.
- For budget and finance in general
The incumbent is responsible for the development of the sectional budget.
The incumbent will be held responsible for work-related errors that may occur due to negligence on his/her part.
How to apply:
Applications on relevant forms, (obtainable from the Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security), GP 104 for serving officers and GP 103 for job seekers duly accompanied by certified copies of educational certificates, transcripts, National Identity Document, and up-to-date performance appraisal forms for serving officers.
All applications must be hand delivered or addressed to:
The Director Human Resources
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition
P.O. Box 24
Maseru – 100
Not later than the 13th November, 2024
