Agribusiness Promotion Support OfficerFederal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD)

• The Agribusiness Promotion Support Officer will support the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator in carrying out her duties as it relates to the creation of jobs using the incubator-incubatee Model, focusing on the identification, selection, training and retraining of potential youth and women to learn and start profitable agro businesses.

He/she will:

• Be involved in the development of agri-enterprises, business plans in agricultural commodity production processing, storage and marketing
• Coordinate the alignment of the CORY cumulum to project requirements including modules on vilage level enterprise group formation, savings mobilization and entrepreneurship development activities
• Support market access to build strong business and value chain orientation to selected youth and women in the project area and
• Explore capacity development of Agriculture value chain Financing models along production processing and marketing.

Specific Duties

• Assist to develop activities for the annual work plans and budget (AWPB)
• Assist in overseeing selection process of incubators
• Assist in development of training curriculum for incubators and incubates
• Assist to coordinate the development and implementation of bankable business plans, marketing promotion strategies, product branding and linkage to service providers and markets
• Assist in identifying actions and mechanisms for the promotion and use of value addition technologies post-harvest handing processing, storage and packaging
• Support the development of MoU with all categories of service providers (mechanization, agrodealers, sprayers etc.) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on areas of engagement and line and terms of support from the project for review by the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator
• Support the selection of service providers as necessary and craft TORs and scope of work for the service providers.
• Supervise, monitor and certify the work of service providers for the various activities, and assignments
• Support the facilitation of linkages for enhanced access to financial services for project beneficiaries, including trader credit, contract farming, inventory credit, commercial development bank credit, and insurance
• Design capacity building and technical assistance measures and activities in the areas of primary production value addition market access, business management, quality control and standardization
• Consolidate state progress reports and contribute to the drafting of periodic project reports
• Any other dutis / activities directed by the APA that will impact positively on the overall project delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

• A First Degree in any of the Agriculture related disciplines in Agricultural Economics, Economics Marketing or related disciplines
• Strong background and practical skills in business development and marketing with at least 3 years work experience on issues and programmes relating to agricultural commodity production, commodity marketing, agro-processing and value chain development and MSME promotion
• Conversant with the Niger Delta region working environment
• Previous experience in working with government and private sector in developing agri-enterprise agribusiness will be a great advantage.

Reporting and Location:

• The position will be in the National Project Coordinating Office located in Port Harcourt.
• The officer will report directly to the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator.