Community Seed Banking Lead

The Community Seed Bank Officer will play a vital role in developing and managing a decentralized, farmer-saved seed system across the SOFDI network of farmers in Western Kenya. This is a unique opportunity for someone who loves working with plants, is energetic and self-motivated, and believes in the power of seeds to strengthen local food systems, improve health, and protect biodiversity. We are looking for someone who is passionate about seed sovereignty, agroecology, and working closely with communities to create lasting impact. The role combines technical agronomy with grassroots engagement and long-term system-building. At its heart, this position supports farmers in conserving and multiplying diverse, open-source, climate-resilient, and nutrition-rich seeds to build stronger, more sustainable farming communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Work With Farmers to Save Valuable Seeds

- Talk with farmers to identify useful, traditional, or underused crop varieties worth preserving

- Continuously scout for local plants that could be valuable for nutrition, resilience, or cultural use

- Source seed starter material from other seedbanks, genebanks or trusted networks for multiplication

- Train farmers on how to select and save good-quality seeds from foods they already grow and eat

Establishing and Managing Local Seed Storage

- Help individual households and communities set up and manage small seed storage solutions

- Create simple tracking systems (written and digital) for what’s stored and where

- Promote and adapt local seed storage knowledge and techniques

- Support small seed exchange gatherings or learning visits to build awareness and diversity

Training and Field Support

- Provide practical training to farmers on seed saving, storage, and plant health

- Support root and tuber multiplication in controlled spaces, then scale with farmer groups

- Help establish tree nurseries for useful and indigenous species

Documentation and Knowledge Sharing

- Develop a digital catalogue of saved seeds, their attributes and local uses

- Help document what’s working and feed those insights into SOFDI’s wider learning systems

- Share stories, progress, and photos with the SOFDI team and partners

- Liaise with MOA, KALRO, KEPHIS, and other actors involved in plant conservation

- Coordinate with field teams and farmer groups across regions

- Represent SOFDI in relevant meetings or seed-saving forums

Qualifications & Experience

- Diploma or Degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Plant Science, or related field.

- 2–5 years’ practical experience working with farmer groups, crops, or community training.

- Experience with nursery establishment, seed saving, or agroforestry is a plus.

- Comfortable working in rural communities and doing field-based work.

- Strong communication and facilitation skills (English and Kiswahili).

- Good organizational skills and confidence in documenting work and using basic digital tools.

Key Competencies

- Loves plants, seeds, and learning from farmers

- Energetic and self-motivated, able to manage work independently

- Respectful of community knowledge and open to collaborative learning

- Passionate about biodiversity, seed sovereignty, and sustainable farming

APPLICATION PROCESS

We will ONLY consider applications that include all of the following:

- A cover letter outlining your motivation and suitability for the role

- CV highlighting relevant experience and qualifications

- Short video (1–2 minutes) of yourself explaining: 1) Your understanding of agroecology; and 2) Why you believe saving and sharing local seeds is important for the future of farming, nutrition, and biodiversity.

Please complete application by 31. January 2026.