Principal Fertilizer Sector Officer at African Development Bank - AfDB

Position Number: 50108927

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on two of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.
• The Complex comprises five departments: (i) Agriculture and Agro-Industry Development; (ii) Agriculture Finance and Rural Development; (iii) Gender, Women and Civil Society; (iv) Water Development and Sanitation; and, (v) Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development.

The Hiring Department / Unit

• The Department of Agriculture and Agroindustry (AHAI) of AFDB has the responsibility of the 2nd priority of Bank’s TYS High 5s, which is called “Feed Africa”, the Strategy for agricultural transformation, aiming at allowing the continent to become a net food exporting region while using industrialization to add value to process foods and exports commodities; to help to end extreme poverty, and eliminate malnutrition.
• The Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) is a special fund established by the African Union member states during the 2006 African Green Revolution Summit in Abuja. The AFFM is and managed by the African Development Bank, housed within AHAI Department.
• The overall objective of the AFFM is to improve agricultural productivity by providing the financing required to boost fertilizer use in Africa to achieve the target of 50 kg of nutrients per hectare, as mandated by the Abuja Declaration.
• The AFFM developed its 2022-2028 Strategic Plan, designed around three strategic pillars (i) Strengthening the fertilizer sector through access to finance; (ii) Supporting the development of viable policy reforms to improve production, trade and utilization of fertilizer; and (iii) Facilitating smallholder farmers’ access to inputs and technical assistance.

The Position

• The Principal Fertilizer Officer contribute to the development and implementation of effective fertilizer strategies that will improve agricultural productivity and food security across the African continent.
• As part of AFFM secretariat, the staff will be supported by the Bank’s relevant Divisions at the headquarters and at the country level.

Key Functions
The specific responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Assist in designing suitable strategies for the achievement of AFFM main goal to improve agricultural productivity by providing financing required to boost fertilizer use in Africa;
• Work with the relevant departments of the Bank to structure fertilizer financing deals for new or existing entrant into fertilizer manufacturing on the continent;  
• Contribute to the identification, development and strengthening of linkages between fertilizer private sector, commercial banks and AfDB, with the purpose to secure fertilizer sector financing needs; 
• Facilitate market driven linkages between fertilizer importers, agro-dealers, retailers and smallholder farmers in target countries; 
• Identify and advise on required AFFM support to build up fertilizer value chain knowledge for viable production, blending, importation, and distribution of fertilizer throughout the continent; 
• Stay at the forefront of regulations and policies surrounding the fertilizer sector throughout Africa to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges in the fertilizer sector;  
• Lead project development and strategic support in a wide variety of areas, including value chain development, upgrading strategies, improving access to agricultural inputs, extension services, capacity building, and mobilizing required resources; 
• Participate actively as task manager and/or member of project team, in all the activities of project cycle (identification, preparation and appraisal); collect relevant information and data, with a view to carrying out the analysis of the project; 
• Follow up on projects implementation of fertilizer projects and programs to ensure they meet their objectives and deliver expected results with a particular emphasis on fertilizer manufacturing, importation, blending, distribution, and use; 
• Assist the Coordinator in establishing a results-based monitoring and evaluation system for projects that tracks, in a timely manner, improvements in fertilizer supply, demand and use against AFFM’s annual and medium-term plans, and ensure consistency for the services provided to countries and companies; 
• Assist project’s implementation partners in delivering the results of projects as per the key performances indicators and benchmarks on impacts, outcomes and outputs set out in the project’s Result Based Logical Framework; 
• Contribute to the preparation of AFFM documentation aiming at raising awareness about AFFM goals and objective, strategies, approaches, success and others;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the AFFM annual work program, and to periodic reporting for the mechanism; 
• Undertake any other assignment relevant to the successful implementation and performance of the AFFM. 

Competencies (Skills, Experience and Knowledge)

• A minimum of a Master's Degree in Agro-economics, Agribusiness, or any other related field;
• Have a minimum of six (6) years relevant professional experience with fertilizer sector; 
• Extensive experience with demonstrated knowledge of designing and implementing investment projects, particularly within the fertilizer value chain; 
• Experience in banking systems, particularly in agricultural financing;
• The candidate must have ability to build partnerships, possess experience working with Government and non-government organizations, development agencies, with a good understanding of key players in the fertilizer sector of Africa;
• S/He must be familiar with the fertilizer policy and regulatory frameworks related issues, and must have strong demonstrable experience working with fertilizer value chains in Africa;
• The candidate must have Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret complex data and information
• Communicate and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language , ability to use both will constitute an added advantage.
• Ability to work independently, to be creative and innovative.
• Demonstrated Integrity and ability to work in team.
• Proficiency in the use of standard Microsoft software, especially MS Office;