Agribusiness Intern at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Job Type: Short-term (Contract)
Category: Internships
Project; USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity
Period of Performance: July 2021 to June 2022.

Program Description

• The five-year USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment.
• To achieve this goal, the Activity focuses on four interrelated components:
  • Improving the enabling environment for agricultural sector growth;
  • Broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses;
  • Promoting and facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and
  • Sustainably enhancing the performance of agribusiness micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs).
• In line with the U.S. and Nigerian governments’ commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the depth, breadth, dynamism, and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
• The Activity operates in seven states of Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger along soybean, maize, aquaculture, rice and cowpea value chains.

Position Description

• This is an internship position to support the Component four team with its activities, initiatives, and interventions.
• Component four is charged with the responsibility of enhancing Agribusiness MSME Performance.
• The intern’s support to Component four will include backstopping, editing technical documents, administrative support, support follow-ups and monitoring of Activity stakeholders, more specifically, partner Agribusinesses, Commodity Associations and other tasks as assigned by the Activity’s Director, Agribusiness, or his designate.

Specific Job Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to Component Four, as needed.
• Facilitate meetings, conference calls, correspondence, and contact lists;
• Perform other duties related to this assignment as requested by the Director of Agribusiness, or his designate.
• Support office Agribusiness- related activities.
• Follow-up on field offices requests with operations.
• Liaise with state coordinators on outstanding businesses and provide feedback to the coordinators.
• Assist the regional coordinator in documenting signed MoUs and other documents.
• Liaise with other interns on agribusiness-related matters.
• Take office meeting notes on agribusiness meetings.
• Keep a directory of agribusiness contacts for the unit
• Undertake assignments from the unit and other team leads.
• Help with the planning and hosting of training events
• Support the preparation of project reports on agribusiness activities
• Perform Any other jobs that may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications

• At least an Undergraduate Degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Science, Economics, Social Sciences or a relevant field;
• Must be legally able to work in Nigeria;
• Ability to use initiative, prioritize, multi-task, and work well under pressure to meet deadlines;
• Good communication skills in multicultural, multi-lingual environments and good ability to work effectively as part of a multicultural and diverse team;
• Adequate knowledge of the Nigeria agribusiness challenges, and opportunities;
• Clear and systematic thinking that demonstrates good judgement and problem-solving competencies;
• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and social media;
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English Language.

Reporting line:

• S/he reports to the Activity’s Agribusiness Director, or his designate.