State Business and Market Development Officer (SBMDO) at Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Job Type: Contract (1 year)
Reporting and Location: Directly to the State Programme Coordinator

Summary

• The FGN/IFAD VCDP is desirous of engaging the services of Technical specialist and staff to facilitate VCDP and other IFAD Assisted programs implementation at the proposed additional VCDP states of Nassarawa, Kogi and Enugu.

Main Responsibilities

• The State Business and Market Development Officer (SBMDO) will work under the direct supervision of the NPMU Business and Market Development Advisor and in close collaboration with the State Agricultural Processing and Quality Enhancement Officer, State Government and Local Government authorities.
• Overall, the SBMDO will be directly in charge of state and local government-level interventions in the area of promoting market linkages and market information among VC operators.

Specific Duties

• Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of state and local government-level Programme activities and actions in the organization of public-private dialogue forums for enabling business environment.
• Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of state and local government-level Programme activities and processes for strengthening mechanisms for public-private dialogue on enabling business environment.
• Coordinate the implementation of state and local government-level Programme activities and actions in supporting the establishment and enforcement of quality norms, grades and standards for processed products.
• Broker inter-agency collaboration between relevant state and local government agencies for the establishment and enforcement of regulations on agricultural commodity quality norms, grades and standards.
• Implement actions and processes for the brokerage and facilitation of market exchanges and/or contractual agreements between VC operators (farmers and agro-processors and traders).
• Work with VC operators to organize commodity fairs and other interactive events for VC operators and the state governments.
• Implement actions and processes for the brokerage and facilitation of links between VC operators (agro-processor and trader organisations) and financial institutions for the purpose of increasing access to financial services including credit, insurance and saving/deposit facilities.
• Assist service providers in preparing and disseminating appropriate strategies and approaches for saving mobilization, opening of bank accounts, membership in financial institutions and applications for loans based on local socio-cultural value systems.
• Assess different financial service providers prepared to extend their services to Programme target groups.
• Negotiate terms and conditions with service providers and conclude, where opportune and appropriate, memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the financial institutions, through which Programme target groups will be able to access financial services.
• Monitor, evaluate and document he results of the linkage programmes.
• Supervise technical assistance in financial linkage.
• Deal and interact with state and local government agencies in consultative and collaborative activities
• Work with VC chain operators including producers, processors and traders to identify needs and actionable items for capacity building in market development.
• Supervise the work of service providers in the areas of business and market development, providing information about their performance.
• . Source and use information from various sources for the implementation and coordination of activities and measures for the promotion of market linkages and market information among VC operators.
• Broker and arrange linkages and contractual transactions/agreements between VC operators including producers, processors and market participants.
• Participate in the formulation and implementation of the VCAP and supervision of activities under the business and market development segment of the VCAP.

Qualification and Experience

• A minimum of Bachelor’s Degree or Higher National Diploma in any of the Management or Social Sciences including Agricultural Economics.
• At least 5 years work experience on matters or projects relating to agricultural marketing, agro-processing and agro-industrial development and MSME promotion.
• Strong background in business and marketing blended with practical skills.
• Good negotiation, inter-personal and communication skills.