Horticulturalist / Central Asia

Overview

Position Description: A full-time, experienced Horticulturalist needed to recruit and mentor young horticulturalists / agronomists and in the process, introduce them to Christ. He / She will

• Take initiative with an American irrigation engineer who has been in this country for 22 years to further develop a 2 acre Agriculture Training Center (ATC) for which we have a public – private partnership with the local Ministry of Agriculture. Established networks of Central Asian fruit or vegetable specialists who have trained abroad and western USA irrigated agricultural Believer practitioners are available to consult and advise this Horticulturalist.
• Be responsible for all planning, design, cost estimates, planting, growing, harvest and post-harvest issues relating to about forty 1000 square foot demonstration plots of tree fruit, melons, berries, nuts, and vegetables under low pressure drip irrigation regimes.  
• Lead out from the plant side in planning, installation, and operations of a passive solar aquaponics demonstration greenhouse (1500 square feet - the first one in the country though there are others in operation by Christian workers in a nearby country).
• Gather interested young horticultural / agronomy students to learn these new techniques, then builds his professional company subteam from amongst these student alumni in a way that they are now trained and could go out with their own truck garden scale or continue longer in association with this new distribution company.
• Provide planning inputs for development of small scale demonstration agricultural laboratories (irrigation water, soil nutrition, plant tissue, feeds analyses, food safety) and recruitment of a Believer Technical Supervisor for such.
• Develop or supports the development of training modules for intensive tree fruit and nut orchard or hydroponics greenhouse vegetable production. In many cases, this may include gathering / adapting a great number of existing YouTube resources already translated into the local language and making those more accessible to our trainees, along with demonstrating hands-on in the field the techniques being presented. It may also include monitoring for and attending trainings put on by American, German, or Japanese Technical Assistance projects.
• May provide online webinars or master classes, or facilitate such with foreign presenters for Horticulture Student Clubs at four other cities outside of the capital city.

The Larger Ministry:

• This nation and most of Central Asia is agrarian, with ½ the population living in rural areas. Most of the agricultural university students will eventually return to their economically disadvantaged regions, marry and raise their families in perpetual, relative poverty … unless they meet Christ and have a purpose for living – which can include them becoming managers and entrepreneurs in their rural economy.
• We have a very secular development presence in this country and continue to seek secular contracts or trainee clientele tuition payments to make our business platform financially sustainable.
• The classroom and training demonstration projects give us the opportunities to shine the Christ light and exude His fragrance as we gain exposure to potential Kingdom Seekers inside and outside of the workplace. This is much more natural with a field-based demonstration program as compared to an English program that is classroom dominated.
• So over their 4 year university period in the capital city, we want to evangelize and equip the locals as disciples of Christ.

Requirements:

• Speak English fluently
• Associate Arts university degree (minimum preferred although life experience can substitute)
• Funded by donors preferred / remote possibilities for supplemental income in Central Asia / open to financially established retiree who self-funds.

Skills/Abilities:

• Love for Christ and established devotional life (minimum)
• Love for people and experience in personal or corporate outreach to the lost (minimum)
• Lifelong learner and willingness to belong / work in small, almost invisible Christian community but also amongst the lost.
• Creation Care Concerns.
• Agricultural background and experience is a super plus.
• Love for plants, soil and everything biological / botanical is a must.
• A love for lifelong learning then sharing what you have learned with others is a must.
• Willingness to self-learn from the Internet.
• Experience with youth or university clubs.
• A growing awareness of your preferences and giftedness is a plus.
• Willingness to learn a local language unless you are older than 55 then its optional.
• 1-year commitment is an alternative to the medium term. Or if older with periodic home responsibilities and coming self-funded, a multiple year, 3 -6 month type of commitment is possible.

Steps forward:

Application through New International  (begin with the Apply link below) along with a written testimony (half page or more) about your faith journey in Christ and why this opportunity might appeal to you. An up-to-date resume or at least a Biographical Profile in enough depth to cover your entire vocational career to this point in time will also be required.

Summary

Seeking a Horticulturist who will use their training and skills with teammates in Central Asia who love Jesus and want to make an impact on the world where He is not known. He/she will develop horticultural programs to help meet local needs and share the hope of Jesus.

• Type of Service: Community Transformation
• Length of Service: Career Missions 3+ Years
• Region: Central Asia