Junior Value Chain Specialist at ACDI VOCA

Job Description

• ACDI/VOCA has been contracted by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to implement Component 3 - Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Support to Value Chains Development - of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project.
• ACDI/VOCA is recruiting a team of Junior Value Chain Specialists (JVCS). The JVCS will support the goals and objectives of the TRIMING project with regards to farmer organizations.
• The TRIMING project supports infrastructure development and farmer organization development at four irrigation schemes in Northern Nigeria including, the Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme (HVIS), the Kano River Irrigation Scheme (KRIS), the Bakolori Irrigation Scheme (BIS), and the Middle Rima Valley Irrigation Scheme (MRVIS).
• The principal responsibility of the JVCS is to expand the volume, and ensure the quality of transactions between TRIMING Irrigation Scheme farmers and input and equipment service providers and off-takers.
• As such, the JVCS will function as matchmakers between farmers, service providers and off-takers. They will also monitor, rate, and publish information on the quality and reliability of input, equipment, financial and extension service providers as well as of off-takers to assist scheme farmers determine who is reliable and who is not.
• The JVCS will operate as a member of the project management team. They will support the establishment of Farm Management Centres (FMCs) at each of the four irrigation schemes.

Job Responsibilities
Their responsibilities will include:

• Establishing and maintaining a directory of scheme stakeholders
• Establishing and maintaining farm budgets and income statements
• Establishing a directory of buyers/off-takers and service providers
• Establishing a rating system of service providers and off-takers
• Facilitating and monitoring compliance with agreements between service providers, farmers, farmer organizations, and off-takers
• Assists in the establishment of annual agricultural fairs on behalf of the FMCs. Contribute to ACDI/VOCA periodic reports and concept papers
• Perform other relevant tasks as required

Qualifications
The JVCS must have:

• Minimum 5 years of experience working in an agricultural setting
• A four-year degree in an Agriculture related discipline
• Willingness to be stationed in a rural setting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Fluency in English and Hausa (written and oral)
• Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills
• Experience with private sector agribusiness companies is preferred; Hausa language proficiency is preferred.
• ACDI/VOCA does will not discriminate based on gender, religion or ethnicity or tribal affiliation.