Agriculture Specialist

Masatepe is a community of roughly 40,000 people located in the Central Pacific region of Nicaragua and is approximately one hour south of the capital city, Managua. The community of Masatepe is said to be split 50/50 amongst urban and rural populations. The rural segment of the economy consists mainly of subsistence and small-scale farming, whereas the urban center consists more of micro-enterprises in the areas of carpentry and artisanal products. What Masatepe might lack financially, it makes up with its people, culture and resources!

Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Unemployment rate is high throughout the country, and Masatepe’s unemployment rate is just below the average. Poverty is widespread, especially in the more rural areas. The vast majority of the population here in Masatepe professes Catholicism or Evangelical Christianity. Yet, we believe the holistic Gospel includes much more than what has been experienced here so far. We believe that the Jesus of the Bible cares about the poor and oppressed; in Masatepe there is still a long way to go to see holistic transformation within the community.

Given the many challenges the people of Masatepe face, both economically speaking as well as in opportunity, we know the solution must be an innovative one. That’s why we’ve chosen an entrepreneurial and ministerial approach towards Integrated Community Transformation (ICT). ICT is a fancy way of saying that we want to model our ministry after Jesus' life on Earth, and care for the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs here in Masatepe. We believe that addressing all three of these needs is the only way to fully emulate Christ in our ministry.

The applicant will work with our existing farm staff and management to collectively move the farm towards a sustainable place. This will include the team director, farm supervisor, project manager, short-term teams coordinator, and the pastors who are over the rehab center operated on our farm. This is a supportive role. The applicant will need to fully buy into the vision of the farm and the desired role that it plays in the community and take responsibility to develop all areas. Much of the work will include physical labor, financial projections and planning, crop and livestock research and tracking, fundraising, infrastructure improvements, and staff development. The applicant will also work with our short-term team coordinator to facilitate teams, plan and oversee projects, and represent the vision of the farm to these teams.