Market Development Officer at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) - Ebonyi

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has been implementing the international Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)- assisted Value Chain Development Programme since 2014 in six (6) participating States of Anambra, Benue Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba and in five (5) Local Government Areas each in all the States. In keeping with the provisions of the financing agreement between IFAD and Federal Ministry of Finance, the FMARD is implementation the programme through the national programme management unit.

Based on the progressive increase in workload of Staff and the need to further improve on Programme implementation, part of the credit will be applied to engage the services of an additional officer to enhance technical assistance at the state level.

Applications are therefore invited from suitably qualified candidates for the position below:

Job Title: Market Development Officer

Location: Ebonyi

Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the National Market Development Coordinator to facilitate market access for the benefiting farmers and farmer organizations
• Directly handle aspect of market information system (MIS), and ensure private sector participation is driving the process
• Liaise with the National Market Development Coordinator to handle promotional activities aimed at increasing market access for rural farmers, including identification of off-takers, linking farmers to off-takers, facilitating farmers engagement with the private sector, linking organization market fares, working with communication unit to produce knowledge products, liaising with relevant states, private sector and persons to deepen on the commodity alliance forum, facilitate replication of CAF in other non-VCDP states through policy dialogue and partnership engagement
• Liaise with National Market Development Coordinator to ensure adoption of the use of standard weight and measure by producers
• Participation in the price determination committee meetings to ensure compliance with the instrument of engagement;
• Capacity building for Agricultural Extension Officers and enumerators on Market Information Service(MIS);
• Liaise with the institutions development team develop out-growers scheme or contract arrangement that will facilitate market access by producers. Improve the farmers' skill to be able to negotiate prices and do business with the private sector.
• Liaise with the processing team and provide capacity building assistance/training to farmers in quality development, packaging and branding to facilitate market access for their produce
• Facilitate the development of the market assembling point by liaising with the infrastructure team
• Work with the National Market Development Coordinator to ensure that roads and processing infrastructure/facilities being established by VCDP in the participating communities will connect producers to the market
• Liaison with Extension Service providers to ensure that their messaging and extension materials for farmers are inclined to market-driven agriculture
• Preparation of annual work plan and budget for the sub-component;
• Preparation of sub-component end of year report.

Qualifications

• A minimum of First Degree in Economics or Agric. Economics or Marketing;
• Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience:
• Involvement in marketing administration in the agricultural sector;
• Good writing and communication skills;
• Strong knowledge of the private sector
• Must be computer literate.
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage

Conditions of Service

• Successful candidates will be engaged for a period of one year ONLY
• Candidates engagement is subject to renewal, which will be based on satisfactory performance upon evaluation and availability of funds.

Application Closing Date
14th December, 2017.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Applications accompanied with detailed Curriculum Vitae and copies of credentials to:
FGN/IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) National Office,
No. 4 Batna Close,
Off Agadez Crescent,
Off Aminu Kano Crescent,
Wuse 2,
Abuja.

Note

• Applicants should please indicate the position they are applying for at the top right hand corner of the envelope.
• The position is open to qualified persons including from the serving public Officers