Agricultural Production and Market Linkages Advisor

Project Overview:

Strengthen PSNP Institutions and Resilience II (SPIR II) is a 5-year USAID/BHA funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) led by World Vision and including consortium partners CARE, ORDA and IFPRI. World Vision and its partners will create a strong, shock responsive ecosystem of public, private, and community level actors to support PSNP households to graduate from poverty and sustain income and food security gains in 17 targeted woredas in Amhara and Oromia regions and is expanding implementation of tailored activities in 4 woredas of Tigray region.

I.  JOB SUMMARY: 

The position holder will work closely with and report to the Senior Agriculture and Livelihoods Advisor and will lead and coordinate agriculture (livestock and crop) sectors of SPIR II including overseeing the implementation of related project interventions, roll out new initiative and ensure adherence to the project strategy and the guidelines. S/he will be responsible to spearhead the design and implementation of innovative interventions including Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and Nutrition Smart Agriculture. The position holder provides technical assistance and capacity building on marketing and value-chain development to the SPIR II/ RFSA project consortium partners and staff in the operational woredas and zone/s. The position holder will coordinate production & market assessment studies, identify key production, marketing and promotional gaps, provides high quality production & marketing trainings, develop guideline, and coordinate the design, planning and implementation of agricultural production, marketing and value-chain, and market linkage activities under the designated project operational areas. S/he will work with other technical areas to ensure harmonization and appropriate sequencing of interventions to ensure that approaches are suitable for the households targeted by SPIR II/ RFSA and are based on facilitating long-lasting relationship building.

II. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Provide technical assistance/Program planning and implementation (40%)

Provide quality technical support to consortium partners, government counterparts, private sector actors and project participants.

In close collaboration with the Senior Agriculture and Livelihoods Advisor, and other technical consortium staff, develop and lead the design and implementation of  gender and youth sensitive production & market assessments, identify key production & marketing gaps ,and design high quality approaches for coaching, relationship building, business understanding and innovation- including avenues for delivering timely market information to beneficiaries:- The specific role and responsibilities of the position holder will be as follows

• Provide technical assistance in the implementation of the value chain and agricultural marketing components of SPIR II
• Support the development of agricultural production and market linkage plan and strategies 
• Support and coordinate the agricultural production and market linkage related functions by providing continuous technical guidance and capacity strengthening for  private and government stakeholders; 
• Ensure implementation of agricultural production and market linkage development activities at field level proceeds according to approved plans, approaches and strategies.
• Support the multi-stakeholder platforms, market actor forums, business-to-business meetings of the project and represent SPIR II in those meetings and share the lesson of SPIR II as required
• Plan food security activities for post-conflict situations and support recovery of livelihoods including animal restocking, seed replenishment and market linkage
• Lead the day-to day implementation of the value chain activities of SPIR II/ RFSA at consortium level and frequently update the field level staff and vise versa.
• Lead the establishment/ strengthen process of private and public organization that support the value chain intervention of SPIR II/ RFSA.
• Lead the facilitation of the value chain related forums like multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs), business-to-business meetings, and agro-dealer ship regular forums.
• Produce guidelines, modules and reports together with technical leads that relate to value chain interventions.
• Participates in SPIR II/ RFSA detailed implementation planning (DIP), and annual reviews, to ensure that proper practices, tools and guidelines are adopted throughout the life of the project.
• Establish all necessary relationships with market actors to ensure that buy-in for evidence based and sound practices and share lessons.
• Support social change processes in relation to changing attitudes related to production, markets and market actors.
• In collaboration with the Gender and Youth technical leads, ensure that all guidelines and implementation tools resonate with the needs of and are uniquely placed to facilitate empowerment of women and youth.
• Support identification and promotion of innovative approaches and interventions to achieve project objective and suited to the conditions and needs of diverse target groups in diverse geographic location and social norms.
• Support with the implementation of appropriate monitoring systems and provide/compile report on program activities.
• Ensure SPIR II/ RFSA incorporates innovative, cost effective and equitable practices and mechanisms that have potential for social transformation, learning and scaling up.
• Monitor progress and provide on-going feedback and recommendations to project management.
• Actively engage with, maintain a productive relationship and be deeply familiar with all aspects of the relevant service providers, input suppliers and the wider input and output market system (formal and informal) supporting poor households which are in a position to provide market expansion options.
• Support coordination and linkages among private sectors actors and business stakeholders, including government offices to support sound implementation of sound and fair market facilitation approach.
• Proactively engage with the learning agenda partners to identify and explore learning opportunities and issues.
• Advise and ensure technical area initiatives are consistent with sustainable development principles and are equitable.

2. Capacity building and Monitoring (40%)

• Conduct regular monitoring visits to project operational areas and prepare and submit monitoring/field visit report to project management;
• Conduct capacity assessment and based on the findings advise or plan for consortium partners to develop key competencies and skills to produce quality results and nurture commitments to apply new skills.
• Organize/facilitate training courses on production and market linkages to relevant stakeholders and private sector; 
• Working with implementing partners, ensure the effective implementation of training and linkages to farmer’s groups and associations to build local level capacity in improved agricultural production and marketing;
• Establish on-going induction and training processes on the technical area for field level staffs, private market actors and other governmental and non-governmental partners on facilitative market system development.
• Provide support, guidance, and training to program staff to understand the technical requirements, standards, and best practices that promote and support behavioral changes to enhance productivity, investment in inputs/ technologies and output market relationships related to SPIR II value chains.
• With the leadership of the technical lead, closely work with the SPIR II/ RFSA M & E staff, Collaborative Learning partners, and CARE program quality and Learning (PQL) unit to ensure that learning and monitoring evaluation systems are in-sync with global agendas and needs, as required.
• Provide support, guidance, and training to farmers organizations like producer marketing groups, formal cooperatives, and collectors.
• Collaborate with Financial Service Advisor to facilitate financial service to ensure timely accessibility of finance for PSNP clients and market actors to improve on-farm production
• Actively participate in regular team planning and review meetings; identify follow up activities based on findings of previous activities and implementation.
• Ensure productive relationships are established and maintained with all consortium partners, market actors, governmental and non-governmental organizations at all levels and with expert institutions.
• Proactively develop and maintain a good learning platform with all stakeholders and ensure that good practices are shared widely.
• Monitor and oversee the process and timely implementation of the agricultural production and market linkage activities as agreed in the work plan, ensure coherence between agreed approaches and tools and provide guidance for the achievement of the desired results.

3. Learning, documentation and sharing (15%)

• Participate in SPIR II detailed implementation planning (DIP), and annual reviews, to ensure that proper practices, tools and guidelines are adopted throughout the life of the project.
• With the support of the technical lead and supervisor, identify, record, and share lessons on program processes, practices and results with internal staffs, consortium partners and other stakeholders.
• With support of the technical lead ensures productive relationships are established and maintained in the area of agricultural production and market linkage with all consortium partners, donors other SPIR II/ RFSA implementing partners, governmental and non-governmental organizations at all levels and with expert institutions.
• Lead production and market linkage activity of SPIR II/ RFSA consortium and represent CARE and other consortium partners on market linkage and value chain forums at different levels.
• Ensure the program captures and responds to up-to-date information about production, market, and regulatory developments.
• Establish and ensure proper sex and age disaggregated database is in place to track value chain activities and the effective engagement with private market actors.
• Organize opportunities and forums for experience sharing and learning.
• Prepare and maintain up to date information on the livelihood situation of each operational area.
• Prepare reports as deemed necessary.

6. Perform other duties as assigned (5%)

GENDER EQUALITY AND PREVENTION OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSESHEA

• Contribute to an environment within CARE's workplaces, programming, and communities where CARE works that is free from sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse. 

• Understanding and demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender, youth and social inclusion issues.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Gender Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and PSEAH (safeguarding), as evidenced in previous positions / programming.

III. Qualifications

A) Education/Training

Required:

• B.A. Degree in Agriculture/Agronomy/Livestock, Horticulture, Plant science, Rural development, agricultural economics, local economic development, marketing, or other closely related field with experience on agricultural production, marketing, value-chain, and livelihood promotion.

Desired:

• MSC/MA in Agriculture/Agronomy/Livestock, Horticulture, Plant science, Rural development, agricultural economics, local economic development, marketing, or other closely related field with experience in agricultural production, marketing, value-chain, food security and livelihood promotion.

B) Experience

Required:

• 5-7 years of work experience in the agricultural production, marketing, value-chain development, local economic development and familiarity with food security, rural development.

Desired:

• Experience in business development and entrepreneurship development programs and working in the NGO sector.
• Practical experience with the PSNP context

C) Technical Skills

Required:

• Language proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Proficiency in computer (Word, Excel & Access).
• Knowledge on agricultural production, marketing and value-chain development.
• Effective interpersonal skills, maturity, initiative, tact and a high sense of responsibility. 
• Ability to work harmoniously with people of different educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to analyze technical issues, to write clear and concise reports and make effective oral presentations.
• Demonstrated technical ability and skills to work effectively with project staff and partners at all levels.
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, and empowerment.
• Good understanding of participatory approach and sustainable development.
• Proven training and facilitation skills.

Desired:

• Knowledge of agricultural production, marketing and value-chain.
• Strategic and operational planning experience.
• Knowledge of Afan Oromo.
• Training materials development and facilitation skills.
• Project design, monitoring and evaluation skills

D) Competencies: CARE core values (respect, accountability, courage, and excellence), building partnerships, and managing performance for success, initiating action, interpersonal skills, contributing to team success, pro-active problem solving, organizing and flexibility.

V.  Contacts/Key Relationships

The incumbent is expected to establish and maintain good relations with all CARE, and SPIR II/ RFSA consortium partners’ staffs at all levels.  S/he will also be expected to have productive and professional relations with operational and functional units in CARE office and other key stakeholders (e.g., government counterparts, civil society, and private sector). S/he will be expected to work from World Vision and CARE offices within agreed days in a week. 

VI. Level of Travel Required

This position is based in Addis Ababa with 30 % travel to SPIR II/ RFSA implementation areas under the three consortium partners.