State Agricultural Processing/Quality Enhancement Officer (APQE) at Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, government of Nigeria has secured credit from the international Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the implementation of Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP). The VCDP will focus on addressing constraints along the cassava and rice value chains in targeted LGAs in Ebonyi State. The Progamme comprises of three complementary and mutually reinforcing components via Agricultural Market Development, Small holder Productivity Enhancement, and Programme Coordination and Management.

The specific development objective of the Programme is that the incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs are enhanced on a sustainable basis in the participating states.

As part of the preparatory activities towards the commencement of programme in the State, the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources is constituting the State Programme Management Unit (SPMU) at the State Programme Headquarters.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources is recruiting for the position of:

Job Title: State Agricultural Processing/Quality Enhancement Officer (APQE)

Loctaion: Ebonyi

Job Description

• Overall, the APQE will be directly in charge of stare and local government level interventions in the area of promoting the use of improved arid more efficient value addition equipment and technologies for agro-processing. handling, storage and packaging.
• Specific Duties
• Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of state and local government level VCDP activities and actions in the provisions ol agro-processing and related equipment and technologies.
• Work with VC operators such as agro-processor organizations to arrange for the acquisition and sustained efficient management and use of new agro-processing and related equipment.
• Supervise the setting up and operation of demonstration of improved technologies and equipment and the provision of equipment for standard measures and weights.
• Work with the SBMDO to organize commodity fairs and other interactive events lot VC operators and the stare governments.
• Supervise the setting up and management of demonstration exercises and activities for the promotion of the use of improved agro-processing equipment and technologies.
• Supervise and coordinate the technical assistance in the areas of food processing system (incl, GAP, GMP and HACCP principles).
• Deal and interact with state and local government agencies in consultative and collaborative activities.
• Supervise the work of service providers in the area of value addition equipment and technologies and providing information about their performance.
• Source and use information from various sources for the implementation and coordination of activities arid measures for the promotion of value addition.
• Supervision state-level capacity building and technical assistance measures and activities in the areas of acquisition and use of value addition equipment and technologies.
• Participating in the formulation and implementation of the VCAP and supervision of activities under the value addition segment of the VCAP.

Qualification and Experience

• A minimum of Bachelor’s degree or Higher National Diploma in Agricultural/Food Engineering or Food Science and Technology Strong background in engineering and technological aspects of agro-processing and agricultural product handling (storage, preservation and packaging.
• Practical skills and at least 3 years work experience on matters relating to food and agricultural processing, agro-industrial development and MSME promotion.
• good negiation, inter-personal skills and communication abilities.

Application Closing Date
6th May 2014

Method of Application
Each applicant should send his or her application together with their Curriculum Vitae (CV) electronically to: [email protected] in addition to the submission of 10 (ten) hard copies of the application, CV and photocopies of educational qualifications in sealed envelop indicating the position applied for at the top left hand corner of the envelop to:

The Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources State Secretariat,
Opposite Unity Square,
Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Note: All late submission will be rejected

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.