Senior Agronomist & Farm Production Manager Location: Farm Estate near Kotdwara (UP-Uttarakhand Border)

Reporting to: Owner/Promoter (with close collaboration with Venture Development Lead and Estate Development & Projects Manager)

Role Purpose

Lead the planning, establishment, and management of the estate's agricultural production systems, including grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, flowers, herbs, spices, and hospitality landscaping. The role is responsible for maximizing productivity, product quality, sustainability, and profitability while ensuring alignment with agritourism experiences and processing requirements. The Agronomist will play a key role in transforming the estate into an integrated farm enterprise supplying fresh produce, raw materials for processing, hospitality landscape features, and guest experiences.

Key Responsibilities

1. Crop Planning & Farm Management

- Develop annual and seasonal crop plans aligned with commercial objectives, processing requirements, and farm-tourism activities.

- Manage cultivation of

- Wheat

- Rice

- Lentils and pulses

- Sesame

- Mustard

- Fruits (seasonal and perennial)

- Culinary herbs

- Medicinal plants

- Spices
- Cut flowers and ornamental species
- Plan crop rotations and mixed-farming systems.
- Implement best practices in soil fertility, irrigation, pest management, and nutrient management.
- Maintain detailed production records and farm performance metrics.

1. Horticulture & Hospitality Landscaping

- Design and manage productive and ornamental landscapes supporting the glamping and hospitality business.

- Establish

- Flower gardens

- Fragrance gardens

- Herb gardens

- Kitchen gardens

- Orchard walkways
- Pollinator-friendly landscapes

- Native plant zones
- Ensure landscapes remain attractive year-round while supporting biodiversity and guest experiences.
- Work closely with hospitality management to create seasonal guest experiences linked to the farm.

1. Orchard, Herbs & High-Value Crop Development

- Establish and manage fruit orchards and specialty crops.
- Identify profitable niche opportunities such as:

- Turmeric

- Ginger

- Lemongrass

- Mint

- Basil

- Rosemary





- Marigold

- Lavender (where suitable)

- Medicinal herbs
- Evaluate new varieties and cultivation techniques.
- Conduct field trials and recommend commercial adoption.

1. Processing & Value Addition Support

Work closely with the food-processing operation to ensure raw material quality and supply consistency. Responsibilities include:
- Planning production volumes according to processing demand.
- Coordinating harvesting schedules.
- Managing post-harvest handling.
- Supporting cleaning, drying, grading, storage, and quality control activities.
- Assisting with production requirements for:

- Flour milling

- Rice processing

- Lentil cleaning and packaging

- Sesame oil extraction

- Mustard oil extraction

- Herbs and spice drying

- Specialty food products
- Supporting traceability and farm-to-consumer quality assurance systems.

1. Sustainability & Resource Management

- Improve soil health through regenerative farming practices.
- Develop composting and nutrient recycling programs.
- Optimize water-use efficiency.
- Monitor environmental performance indicators.
- Promote biodiversity and integrated pest management.

1. Team Leadership

- Recruit, train, and supervise farm workers and seasonal labor.
- Develop standard operating procedures.
- Ensure safe operation of farm equipment and machinery.
- Build capability within the estate's agricultural team.

1. Farm Experience & Agritourism Support

Support development of farm-based guest experiences including:
- Seasonal harvest experiences
- Orchard tours
- Herb and spice walks

- Farm education programs
- Demonstration plots
- Flower picking experiences
- Farm-to-table events





The agronomist should help ensure that agricultural activities contribute positively to the guest experience without compromising commercial production.

Required Qualifications

Education

- B.Sc. Agriculture (required)
- M.Sc. Agronomy, Horticulture, Soil Science, Crop Science, Agricultural Extension, or related field (preferred)

Experience

- 7-15 years of relevant experience.
- Proven experience managing multiple cropping systems.
- Experience with horticulture and landscape planting.

- Experience supporting post-harvest and processing operations.
- Experience managing farm teams and budgets.

Technical Skills

Strong knowledge of

- Agronomy

- Horticulture
- Orchard management
- Soil science
- Irrigation systems
- Protected cultivation
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Fertility management

- Post-harvest handling
- Processing crop quality standards
- Farm mechanization
- Farm record systems

Preferred:

- Organic or regenerative agriculture.

- Precision agriculture tools.
- Nursery management.
- Food safety and traceability systems.

Key Success Measures (First 24 Months)

Agricultural Production

- Establish production plans for grains, oilseeds, fruits, flowers, herbs, and spices.
- Achieve targeted yields and quality grades.
- Reduce crop losses and improve farm profitability.

Landscaping

- Deliver landscaped guest areas and demonstration gardens.
- Maintain high aesthetic standards throughout the year.

Processing Support

- Supply processing facility with planned quantities and quality standards.
- Reduce post-harvest losses.
- Improve raw material consistency.

Farm Experience

- Successfully establish visitor-friendly orchards, gardens, and farm demonstrations.
- Deliver agriculture-based experiences supporting the glamping business.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are comfortable operating both strategically and hands-on. You can plan 100 acres as confidently as you can inspect a nursery bed. You understand commercial agriculture, hospitality landscaping, and farm-based consumer experiences.

You enjoy building new agricultural systems from the ground up and are excited by the chance to help create a model farm estate that integrates food production, processing, hospitality, and agritourism.

📌 Senior Agronomist & Farm Production Manager (Kotdwar)
🏢 NVS Industries
📍 Kotdwar