ACBAR

Citizen Organization for Advocacy and Resilience, COAR (formally Coordination of Afghan Relief) CoAR is an Afghan, independent, nonpolitical, non-sectarian, and non-for profit organization established in 1989 and registered formally with the ministry of Economy. COAR actively bridging between donors of humanitarian aid and rural Afghan communities severely affected by almost four decades of wars, internal conflicts, natural and manmade disasters, and complexities. COAR endeavors to reach the unreached and embark on strengthening local coping mechanisms to enable communities to find durable local solutions to their local problems and encourage self- reliance and sustainability. COAR works with communities to proactively utilize their own scarce and limited resource the most efficient and effective way and discourage a culture of aid dependency, except in times of disasters and extreme poverty.
COAR has maintained the access of beneficiaries to basic services with strict observation of humanitarian principles of Independence, Neutrality and Impartiality in practice.

Position Overview

The Agriculture Specialist will provide technical expertise and guidance to COAR’s Program team. The role covers agriculture, livestock, small business development, market linkages, crop production, seed production, capacity building and distribution of agricultural inputs. The Agriculture Specialist ensures that all agriculture and livestock activities are aligned with project objectives and donor priorities.

Duties & Responsibilities

Program Planning & Implementation

• Contribute to the planning, implementation, and monitoring of agricultural activities.
• Ensure activities are consistent with COAR and WHH objectives and scope of the project.

Technical Support

• Provide expertise on farming systems, agribusiness, and access to finance.
• Support greenhouse management, fruit/vegetable agronomic practices, cold storage, and post-harvest handling.
• Promote nutrition-sensitive, climate-smart, and gender-inclusive practices.
• Provide technical support for kitchen gardening and poultry farming.
• Assist in screening and managing crop diseases and pests.
• Strengthen women-led enterprises and facilitate market linkages.
• Advise the agriculture team on vegetable seed quality, viability, and lifespan.
• Support the program team in proposal and concept development for new initiatives.

Community Engagement & Capacity Building

• Strengthen farmer groups to enhance collective action and market access.
• Support afforestation and community-based farming initiatives.
• Identify high-value crops and income-generating opportunities.
• Conduct community assessments to determine needs and priorities.
• Deliver training sessions for women with business ideas.
• Provide mentorship to women with business ideas.

Market Linkages & Value Chains

• Guide value chain development for agriculture and MSMEs.
• Facilitate connections between farmers, cooperatives, and markets.
• Promote business knowledge among women and young girls.

Project Monitoring & Reporting

• Lead implementation and monitoring of agricultural projects.
• Ensure coordination with other donor-funded activities.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to high-quality reporting.

Climate Resilience & Natural Resource Management

• Support climate resilience and disaster risk reduction activities.
• Promote sustainable natural resource management practices.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Build strong relationships with communities, partners, UN agencies, and stakeholders.
• Ensure grievance redressal mechanisms are in place.
• Comply with WHH social and environmental standards.

Visibility & Communication

• Ensure visibility of COAR and WHH-supported interventions.
• Prepare reports, success stories, and communication materials.

Other Duties

• Coordinate regularly with staff across regions.
• Perform additional tasks as assigned by the program team.

Educational and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in agricultural development, food security, women-led enterprises, market linkage report writing and proposal development.
• Technical Expertise
• Demonstrated expertise in establishing women-led businesses, SMEs, and strengthening market linkages.
• Proven background in launching Farmer Field Schools (FFS), promoting kitchen gardening, and poultry farming initiatives.
• Experience in establishing farmer cooperatives, self-help groups (SHGs), value chain development, and market integration.
• Skilled in designing and implementing training modules, and developing technical manuals for farmers and extension workers.
• Proficiency in agricultural data collection and analysis tools (e.g., Kobo, ODK, GIS etc.).
• Working knowledge with national and international NGOs
• Soft Skills

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills for engaging with farmers, communities, and donors.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to tailor interventions to local contexts.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple priorities with resilience.
• Language & Cultural Competence

• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Strong communication skills in local languages (Dari and Pashto).
• Deep understanding of cultural norms and gender dynamics in rural communities.

Qualified candidates may send their CVs include a Cover letter to the COAR Human resource department to this email address: cv@coar.org.af 
CVs received after the closing date (31-12-2025) will not be considered.
Applications are reviewed on an active basis and after receiving sufficient eligible applications we may process the position before the closing date.
the subject line of the email must be (AGS/Balkh/28) otherwise your CVs may not be considered.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the Written test and Interview.
COAR is an equal opportunity to the employer for all ethnic groups and both genders are urged to apply
COAR has zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and abuse (SEA).

cv@coar.org.af