JOB DESCRIPTION

Field Coordinator – Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods

Location

Barakhankri Gram Panchayat, Nayagram Block, Jhargram, West Bengal

Organisation

Gram Samriddhi Foundation (GSF)

Programme

Sustainable Agriculture, Livelihoods & Water Security Programme

Reports to

Programme Director / CEO

Engagement

Full-time

About GSF

Gram Samriddhi Foundation (GSF) is a rural development organisation working with small and marginal farmers on sustainable agriculture, soil health, water security, farmer institutions and climate-resilient livelihoods.

Website: https://www.gramsamriddhi.org/

About the Programme

GSF is implementing a 3-year programme supported by the Azim Premji Foundation in Barakhankri Gram Panchayat, Nayagram Block, Jhargram, covering 300 farming households across 5 villages (8 hamlets). The programme focuses on sustainable agriculture, diversified vegetable cultivation, watershed-based water security, vermicompost enterprises and stronger farmer institutions.

Role Overview

The Field Coordinator will be the primary field-level representative of GSF and will coordinate day-to-day implementation of the programme. The role requires extensive engagement with farmers, village institutions, the FPO, government functionaries, technical resource persons and our field team in translating programme plans into effective field implementation, monitoring, documentation and learning. The field team comprising 1 Community Mobiliser and 3 Community resource persons will be reporting to this role.

Key Responsibilities

1. Farmer Mobilisation & Community Engagement

Build strong working relationships with the 300 target households.
Organise and facilitate farmer meetings, group discussions, trainings, Farmer Field Schools and field demonstrations.
Facilitate farmer participation and support the development of farmer leaders, Community Mobiliser and Community Resource Persons (CRPs).

2. Sustainable Agriculture

Facilitate improved paddy cultivation, Dhaincha green manuring, composting and soil-health management practices.
Provide regular field-level handholding and monitor adoption of recommended practices.
Support demonstrations and peer-learning processes among farmers.

3. Vegetable Cultivation & Livelihood Diversification

Support approximately 160 households in Kharif vegetable cultivation on Danga lands.
Support approximately 140 households in Rabi vegetable cultivation on lower lands linked to improved irrigation access.
Track cultivated area, crops, production, farmer experiences and emerging constraints.

4. Water Security & Watershed Development

Support participatory watershed planning and implementation of village water-security activities.
Facilitate implementation and monitoring of dug wells and related water-resource interventions.
Coordinate with relevant government departments for convergence and follow-up.
Monitor use, maintenance and community-level management of water resources.

5. Vermicompost Enterprises

Identify and support 10 village-level vermicompost entrepreneurs.
Facilitate training, technical support and enterprise monitoring.
Help connect local organic input production with the needs of participating farmers.

6. FPO & Institutional Coordination

Work with Nayagram Krishi Kalyan Producer Company/FPO on aggregation and collective marketing.
Coordinate with Agriculture, Horticulture, VB G-RAM-G, Watershed and other relevant government functionaries.
Coordinate with technical experts and programme partners as required.

7. Monitoring, Documentation & Reporting

Maintain household-level records and update the programme's digital MIS.
Track participation, adoption, crop area, productivity, water-resource development and other programme indicators.
Conduct field verification and maintain photographs, farmer stories, case studies and other documentation.
Provide weekly/monthly field updates and support quarterly programme reporting.
Identify implementation challenges early and escalate them with practical recommendations.

Candidate Profile

Essential Qualifications & Experience

Graduate in Agriculture, Rural Development, Social Work, Development Studies, Environmental Science or a related field.
4-6 years of relevant field experience in rural development, agriculture, livelihoods, FPOs or community mobilisation.
Strong field orientation and willingness to work extensively with farming communities.
Good communication, interpersonal and coordination skills.
Ability to work independently and coordinate with multiple stakeholders.
Basic proficiency in MS Excel/Google Sheets, MS Word/Google Doc and smartphone-based data collection.
Fluency in Bengali; knowledge of the local tribal language/dialect will be an advantage.
Willingness to travel regularly across Nayagram and surrounding villages.

Desirable

Experience in sustainable/natural farming, soil health, watershed development or vegetable cultivation.
Experience working with FPOs or farmer collectives.
Understanding of government convergence programmes.
Basic data analysis and programme reporting skills.
Ability to document farmer stories and field-level learning.

Key Attributes

Strongly field-oriented and comfortable working closely with farmers.
Good listener and community facilitator.
Curious and willing to learn about agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Able to translate programme objectives into practical field action.
Disciplined in data, documentation and follow-up.
Takes ownership and proactively identifies problems and solutions.
Sensitive to local social, cultural and community contexts.

Key Performance Areas (KPAs)

Quality and consistency of engagement with target households.
Adoption and implementation of programme interventions.
Achievement of agreed targets and timelines.
Quality and completeness of field data and documentation.
Effective coordination with the FPO, government departments and community institutions.
Timely identification, resolution and escalation of implementation challenges.
Contribution to programme learning and continuous improvement.

Compensation & Application

Indicative compensation: 25,000–30,000 per month, depending on qualifications and relevant experience. Travel expenses will be reimbursed as per GSF policy.

Interested candidates may share their CV along with a brief statement describing their relevant experience and interest in the role.

Application email: [HIDDEN TEXT]

Subject: Application – Field Coordinator, Nayagram

Field Coordinator - Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods