Job Purpose
Provide direction and technical guidance on crop varieties, crop nutrition, crop protection (weed control and Pest + Disease control) and irrigation to ensure long-term optimization of yield and cost of production, drive implementation of the “Illovo Way in sugar cane production” to ensure Illovo is the best-in-class sugar producer in the Country. Ensures compliance to relevant Illovo Ways and agronomic standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Implement sustainable agronomic practices with the objective of closing the gap between the actual and the attainable yield potentials for each field on each estate
• Support adoption and embedding of agreed best practices, frameworks, minimum standards and processes for agronomy
• Implement and manage sugar cane agronomic trials (fertilizers and crop protection) required by the head of agricultural optimisation as part of a continuous productivity initiative
• Formulate, communicate and monitor fertilizer, weed control and ripener programmes (including 3rd party contractor management)
• Manage Estate nursery fields, monitor seed quality, and ensure regular disease inspections are carried out
• Ensure all commercial and nursery fields are timeously surveyed for pests and diseases, and that their infestation levels and recommendations are communicated to the relevant parties
• Ensure all agronomic data is captured for trend analysis, reporting and decision making
• Support agronomic optimisation by adopting new technologies and methods and ensure continuous improvement by implementing best practices and conducting regular system checks
• Develop new SOPs per requirements and assure performance against agronomy-related SOPs
• Monitor trends to understand impact of adopted practices, and refine practices accordingly
• Provides agronomic advice to Growers
• Promote and adhere to Illovo’s procedures, policies and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC)

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture / Diploma in Agriculture
• 5 years’ experience in sugar cane agriculture
• Research orientated with experience in agronomic experiments, trial work and evaluation
• Good business acumen and agricultural expertise, with ability to anticipate, interpret and respond to changes impacting on functional area
• A formal business/commercial qualification would be an advantage
• Strong agriculture data analysis skills

• Implement sustainable agronomic practices with the objective of closing the gap between the actual and the attainable yield potentials for each field on each estate
• Support adoption and embedding of agreed best practices, frameworks, minimum standards and processes for agronomy
• Implement and manage sugar cane agronomic trials (fertilizers and crop protection) required by the head of agricultural optimisation as part of a continuous productivity initiative
• Formulate, communicate and monitor fertilizer, weed control and ripener programmes (including 3rd party contractor management)
• Manage Estate nursery fields, monitor seed quality, and ensure regular disease inspections are carried out
• Ensure all commercial and nursery fields are timeously surveyed for pests and diseases, and that their infestation levels and recommendations are communicated to the relevant parties
• Ensure all agronomic data is captured for trend analysis, reporting and decision making
• Support agronomic optimisation by adopting new technologies and methods and ensure continuous improvement by implementing best practices and conducting regular system checks
• Develop new SOPs per requirements and assure performance against agronomy-related SOPs
• Monitor trends to understand impact of adopted practices, and refine practices accordingly
• Provides agronomic advice to Growers
• Promote and adhere to Illovo’s procedures, policies and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC)

• Research orientated with experience in agronomic experiments, trial work and evaluation
• Good business acumen and agricultural expertise
• Strong agriculture data analysis skills

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture / Diploma in Agriculture
• 5 years’ experience in sugar cane agriculture