Agronomist at Adept Systems

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a roadmap of all available nutritional options for the tilapia diet based on locally available goods and waste goods.
• Collaborate with Nutritionists and Cage Feed Trial Managers to develop a testing program to methodically test and track the performance of these novel and indigenous ingredients as a fish feed.
• On high-potential nutritional categories which are not available in large supply locally (or at too high a cost), build a costing model to estimate the cost of producing the crop at scale; then set up pilots to test the cost of production of these ingredients.
• Build on and develop a professional framework for Victory’s Biodiversity target – starting with trees on all operating sites. Then advance this to supply additional trees and biodiversity across our sites to drive our goals.
• Leverage the HEAP program and other formats to create additional positive impact.
• Review and help apply for financing opportunities (grants, soft capital) to access more
• funding to drive all our initiatives further and faster.
• Work on special pilot testing at 106 grounds (and train/manage 106 gardeners) to get especially deep analysis on several key learnings.
• Identify local crops that can be produced on a large scale and become effective substitutes for bulking materials to be used in the production of fish feed.
• Closely collaborate with the Farm Gardener to ensure that the Farm Tree Nursery is well run and stocked with relevant plants, with emphasis on indigenous species.
• Actively participate in the values day activities by advocating and creating awareness on the benefits of tree planting and improved biodiversity.
• Work closely with the ESG and Impact Reporting functions.
• Establish and promote vermicomposting systems to produce high-quality worm juice and compost for use as foliar feed and soil amendment in novel crop cultivation.
• Design and execute an irrigation plan for novel plots, incorporating crop-specific water consumption rates and establishing a tracking system to monitor and optimise usage.
• Lead novel crop production using organic practices and regenerative agriculture systems to enhance soil health, biodiversity, and sustainability.
• Establish organic fertiliser composting systems utilising crop and animal by-products, and ensure periodic production and application of organic fertilisers for novel crop cultivation.
• Oversee the harvesting and post-harvest processes for novel crops, ensuring alignment with food safety regulations and best practices to maintain product quality and integrity.

Professional Experience, Educational background, and skills required

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Aquaculture, Animal Nutrition, Agronomy, or a related field. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Minimum 7+ years of hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture, aquaculture nutrition, agroforestry, or biodiversity programs.
• Experience working with indigenous plants, animal feed formulation, or agribusiness research is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of fish nutrition, feed ingredients, and feed trials.
• Proficiency in designing and executing agricultural or aquaculture pilot projects.
• Ability to create cost models and assess the economic viability of crop production at scale.
• Familiarity with biodiversity frameworks and tree-planting programs.
• Competency in data collection, analysis, and reporting for environmental and sustainability metrics.
• Strong project management and coordination skills.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
• Passion for sustainability, biodiversity, and environmental conservation.
• Creative and analytical thinker with a hands-on, problem-solving approach