Soil Testing Laboratory Technician required at MaolKeki Foundation
Last Date : 23rd September 2018

Role Profile

Job Title: Soil Testing Laboratory Technician

Project Overview:

Smallholder farmers in Manipur, as elsewhere in India, are generally trapped in the vicious cycle of low productivity, high cost of credit and no market connectivity and, as a result, tend to be in subsistence farming mode. Standalone interventions in productivity enhancement or introducing high value crops without linking to markets is more detrimental as farmers would have incurred more on the cost of cultivation.

Therefore, to increase the income of small farmers, integrated approach of increasing productivity, linking them to markets and also ensuring access to right inputs has to be adopted. Syngenta Foundation India has been following this approach since 2009 and has called it market-led-extension.

Syngenta Foundation India (SFI) and MaolKeki Foundation (MKF) have partnered to implement this model in Manipur. The main objective of this partnership is to increase the income of small farmers by introducing modern agriculture technologies, better agricultural practices and connecting farmers to markets.

Implementation: Since April 2018, MaolKeki Foundation, with the support of Syngenta Foundation India, has been working with over 200 farmers in Toubul, Khoijuman and Kwasiphai in Bishnupur District. 10 Lead Farmers whose fields are being used for demonstrating better practices have also been signed up.

One of the main concerns highlighted by the farmers during extensive Info Sessions is the lack of information on their soils and the lack of a functioning soil laboratory nearby. To address this, MKF and SFI are establishing a private soil testing facility for which we now seek a Laboratory Technician who will work directly with the Project Coordinator.

The Laboratory Technician will be based in Toubul/ Khoijuman/ Kwasiphai in Bishnupur District.

Soil Testing Laboratory Technician

Location: Toubul – Khoijuman - Kwasiphai

Contract: Contract will be initially for one year and extended or made permanent based on performance.

Compensation: Minimum salary of Rs3,000 per month with upsides based on the number of soil samples tested per month. Extra allowance will be given based on lab activities. Training on soil testing and travel costs will also be covered besides any other miscellaneous costs incurred while carrying out the job.

Description of role:

1) Lab Technician should perform various soil tests defined by the project
2) Lab Technician should be able to visit fields in the project areas and collect soil samples
3) She/ He must work in close alignment with the Project Co-ordinator
4) She/ He must be involved in training farmers and raising awareness on the importance of soil testing

Eligibility:

1) Graduate or Post-Graduate in a Science subject, including Chemistry
2) Knowledge in Agriculture or Horticulture would be an advantage
1) She/ He should be willing to travel in and around the project areas, engage with smallholder farmers by local conveyance or two-wheeler
3) The person must be self-motivated and willing to work in a developing, unstructured, environment with a problem-solving attitude
4) Strong relationship and communication skills
5) This project demands fluency in Manipuri while knowledge of English, Hindi or other local languages is a plus
6) Basic Computer skills is a must

Please send your CV to contact(AT)maolkekifoundation(DOT)org
with the subject as “Soil Testing Laboratory Technician – SFI-MKF Project”
before 23rd September 2018.