Upland Rice Farming Consultant (Relocate to Senegal)

About the role

We are looking for an experienced Upland Rice Farming Consultant to design, establish, and optimise upland rice production in arid, low‑fertility environments. The consultant will work on‑site in Senegal, providing technical and strategic guidance to create a profitable, water‑efficient rice system that aligns with our regenerative agriculture goals.

Key responsibilities

• Develop a field‑ready upland rice production model covering land preparation, planting, irrigation, fertilisation, weed control and harvest.
• Identify and recommend drought‑tolerant, heat‑tolerant rice varieties suitable for dryland, low‑organic soils and non‑flooded irrigation.
• Design irrigation systems and water‑management schedules that maximise yield while minimising water use.
• Assess soil fertility constraints and create integrated fertilizer programmes, including organic amendments such as compost, biochar and mulch.
• Formulate practical weed‑management and crop‑protection strategies for non‑flooded conditions.
• Provide guidance on soil‑moisture monitoring methods and water‑saving techniques.

Required profile

• Proven experience in upland or dryland rice cultivation, preferably in arid or semi‑arid regions.
• Strong knowledge of rice variety selection for drought and heat stress.
• Demonstrated ability to design irrigation systems for water‑limited environments.
• Expertise in soil fertility management on sandy, low‑organic soils.
• Experience with integrated weed‑control and crop‑protection practices for non‑flooded rice.

Required skills

• Upland rice variety selection and seed quality assessment
• Irrigation system design and water‑management planning
• Soil fertility analysis and fertilizer programme development
• Application of organic soil amendments (compost, biochar, mulch)
• Weed management and crop protection for dryland rice
• Soil moisture monitoring techniques