Agronomist – Field Crops (Maize, Sorghum & Legumes) - India

Location: Andhra Pradesh / Telangana (field-based, with extensive travel across project clusters)

About FinAgra

FinAgra is building a new model for commercial agriculture in emerging markets. We combine financing, agronomy, technology, and farm operations to turn underperforming farmland into professionally managed, productive farming businesses.

About the Role

FinAgra is looking for a hands-on agronomist to build and lead our programs in high-volume, low-margin field crops such as maize, sorghum, and legumes (red gram, green gram, black gram, Bengal gram, groundnut, soybean). In these crops, profitability depends on tight cost control, yield consistency, and efficient operations at scale, so the ideal candidate understands the economics of every acre as well as the agronomy.

The role involves designing crop protocols, guiding REPs and farmers in the field, and ensuring we hit yield, quality, and cost targets.

What You Will Do

Crop planning and protocols

• Develop season-wise package of practices for maize, sorghum, and legumes suited to local agro-climatic zones, soil types, and rainfed/irrigated conditions.

• Recommend hybrids and varieties based on yield potential, market demand, and duration, including crop rotation and legume integration for soil health.

• Build cost-of-cultivation models and identify levers to reduce input cost per tonne.

Field execution and REP support

• Guide REPs and field teams through land preparation, sowing, nutrient management, irrigation scheduling, and harvest.

• Conduct regular field visits, crop monitoring, and diagnosis of pest, disease, and nutrient issues, with timely corrective advisories.

• Train REPs and farmers in Telugu on best practices, mechanization, and record-keeping.

Mechanization and efficiency

• Work with the supply chain and mechanization team to plan use of planters, sprayers, harvesters, and threshers to lower labour dependence and cost.

• Support drip/sprinkler adoption where it improves returns.

Data, quality, and reporting

• Maintain accurate field records on crop stages, inputs, yields, and costs using company digital tools/ERP.

• Track KPIs such as yield per acre, cost per tonne, and grain/seed quality, and report progress to management.

• Support procurement and offtake teams on harvest planning, grading, moisture, and quality specifications.

Stakeholder engagement

• Build relationships with agricultural universities, KVKs, ICAR institutes, seed companies, and input suppliers.

• Keep up with new hybrids, technologies, and government schemes relevant to field crops.

What We Are Looking For

Required

• B.Sc. (Agriculture) at minimum; M.Sc. in Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Seed Science, or a related field preferred.

• 4–8 years of hands-on experience in maize, sorghum, and/or legume cultivation, in either commercial production or seed production.

• Proven record of managing crops across large acreage or multiple farmer clusters.

• Fluency in Telugu (spoken) is essential; working proficiency in English for reporting.

• Strong understanding of AP/Telangana soils, cropping seasons (Kharif/Rabi), and local farming practices.

Preferred

• Experience with a seed company, contract farming organisation, FPO/FPC, or agribusiness company.

• Exposure to seed certification processes and hybrid seed production.

• Familiarity with farm mechanization and cost-of-cultivation analysis.

• Comfort with digital tools (smartphone apps, Excel, ERP systems).

• Candidates native to or based in Andhra Pradesh or Telangana.
  

Who Will Thrive in This Role

You are a practical, field-first problem solver with a strong commercial mindset — someone who understands the economics of every acre as well as the agronomy. You are comfortable training and influencing REPs and farmers, and you take ownership of results rather than just offering advice.

In addition, you are self-driven and comfortable working independently across dispersed locations, bringing the discipline to keep accurate records and report consistently — while staying curious enough to test, learn, and improve your practices every season.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel extensively across AP and Telangana

• Valid driving licence (four-wheeler preferred)