• Provide technical expertise and advisory support on horticultural production, particularly apple, grape, pomegranate, and saffron cultivation.
• Assess existing production practices and identify technical constraints affecting crop productivity, quality, and efficiency.
• Develop and promote improved agronomic practices and appropriate crop management techniques.
• Provide technical assistance to producers, MSMEs, and value chain groups to improve production systems and agricultural productivity. • Design and deliver practical training sessions, demonstrations, and capacity-building activities on improved horticultural production practices.
• Promote climate-smart and resource-efficient agricultural practices, including drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, mulching, and compost application.
• Provide technical guidance on efficient water management, soil fertility improvement, and sustainable crop production.
• Support producers in adopting appropriate technologies and improved agricultural practices to enhance product quality and production standards.
• Identify opportunities for improving productivity, reducing production costs, and minimizing post-harvest losses through appropriate agronomic interventions.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor the adoption and effectiveness of recommended agricultural practices.
• Provide follow-up technical support and practical solutions to production-related challenges identified during field monitoring.
• Assess the technical feasibility and agronomic relevance of proposed investments under the matching grant activities.
• Provide technical inputs for the development and review of matching grant proposals related to horticultural production and quality improvement.
• Coordinate with the Marketing Specialist and Value Chain Group Specialist to ensure that production improvements are aligned with market requirements and value chain development objectives.
• Support the integration of good agricultural practices and relevant production standards into project interventions.
• Ensure that technical recommendations are appropriate to local agroecological conditions, production cycles, and available resources. • Document technical progress, field observations, challenges, lessons learned, and results of horticultural interventions.
• Contribute to project progress reports by providing accurate information on technical assistance, training, adoption of improved practices, and productivity and quality improvements.
• Ensure that field activities and technical recommendations comply with applicable environmental and social safeguards.
• Perform other relevant technical duties assigned by the Project Manager/Team Leader in support of project objectives.