Position Description:
The purpose of this position is to secure reliable markets and link the smallholder farmers to markets both forward and backwards in poultry, crops, farm equipment or any agriculture products accessed by smallholder farmers through the SUN TA project using market based solutions.
Responsibilities may include:
- Forge public-private partnerships involving commercial agribusiness, food processors and local producers or producer associations in SUN TA operational area
- Support the development, selection and/or adoption of guidelines, tools, models and protocols to aid Business and Market Development in SUNTA operational areas Assess and support SUNTA districts in quality activity implementation to ensure that the programme is within scope, time and budget
- Provide technical support and leadership to SUNTA districts to ensure that targeted communities have increased access to market and financial services
- Encourage linkages and support market communication between key actors (including farmers) to inform improved quality and reliability of supply
- Facilitate sourcing relationships between smallholder farmers, aggregators, SMEs and upstream anchor buyers
- Teach SHF and SMEs how to understand pricing mechanisms used by processor buyers
- Develop a database of commercial agribusiness and food processors seeking to work with smallholder farmers
- Support smallholder farmers and others in CSLGs to profitably invest and use funds generated from savings and loans groups.
- Promoting agro-entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, such as women, and promoting women’s participation at all levels of the value chains.
- Work with the Agriculture and Livelihood Expert and the SUN TA mapping value chains, including gender dimensions, for food and agriculture products, and identifying possible points of intervention to improve efficiency and
- Help smallholder farmers increase competitiveness and gain access to new markets by meeting market technical requirements such as food safety, regulatory and private sector
- Disseminate information policies, laws, and relevant technologies for the indigenous poultry sector and regulations that favor agribusiness with smallholder farmers
- Ensure compliance with government regulations and health and safety standards with the target farmers
- Assist SHFs build and develop sustainable relationships with various actors within the targeted SUNTA value chains.
- Facilitate business and market development related Training of Trainers (TOT) of partners, SUN TA technical program staff, other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation
- Support staff orientation and participate in building capacity of SUNTA technical staff through coaching and mentoring for increased/enhanced competency
- Required Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Education and Qualifications
- A bachelor’s or master’s degree in management and commerce with specialization in agriculture sciences, farm management, or agricultural marketing/economics or
Skills And Experience
- Knowledge in the basics of food processing, marketing, and input/output distribution and the barriers that may inhibit women and youths’ full participation in agribusiness
- Communication skills, along with application of those skills with various marketing and private sector led strategies are required
- Must have hands on experience working with smallholder farmers and private sector engagements
- Must be organized, a team player and possess leadership skills
- Critical thinking, with the ability to identify the target customer and understanding their needs are important
- Analytical skills with the ability to make quick calculations
- Capacity to provide training of trainers in market development areas g. gross margin analysis, costing and pricing, price differentiation and setting, record keeping particularly records of sales, profits and losses etc.
- Fluency in English required;
- Ability to travel internationally and to remote rural locations of Zambia.
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