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 Business and Market Development Officer (BMDO)
Location: Ebonyi
Specific Duties
- Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of state and local government-level VCDP activities and actions in the organization of public-private dialogue forums for enabling business environment.
- Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of state and local government-level VCDP activities and process for strengthening mechanisms for public-private dialogue on enabling business environment.
- Coordinate the implementation of state and local government-level VCDP activities and actions in supporting the establishment and enforcement of quality norms grades and standards for processed products.
- Broker inter-agency collaboration between relevant state ‘and local government agencies for the establishment and enforcement of regulations on agricultural commodity quality norms, grades and standards.
- Implement actions and processes for the brokerage and facilitation of market exchanges and/or contractual agreements between VC operators (farmers and agro-processors and traders).
- Work with VC operators to organize commodity fairs and other interactive events for VC operators and the state governments.
- Implement actions and processes for the brokerage and facilitation of links between VC operators-(agro -processor and trader organizations) and financial institutions for the purpose of increasing access to financial services including credit insurance and saving/deposit facilities,
- Assist service providers in preparing and disseminating appropriate
- strategies and approaches for saving mobilization, opening of hank accounts, membership in financial institutions and applications tin loans based on local socio-cultural value systems.
- Assess different financial service providers prepared to extend their services to programme target groups.
- Negotiate terms and conditions with service providers and conclude, where opportunity and appropriate, memoranda of understanding (MoIJs) with the financial institutions, through which programme target groups will he able to access financial institutions.
- Monitor, evaluate and document the results of the linkage programmes. Supervise technical assistants in financial linkage.
- Deal and interact with state and local government agencies in consultative and collaborative activities,
- Work with VC chain operators including producers, processors-and traders to identity needs and actionable items for capacity building in market development.
- Supervise the work of service providers in the areas of business and market development and providing information about their performance.
- Source and use information from various sources for the implementation and coordination of activities and measures for the promotion of market linkages and market information among VC operators.
- Broker and arrange linkages and contractual transactions/agreement between C operators including producers. processors and market participants.
- Participate in the formulation and implementation of the VCAP and supervision of activities under the business and market development segment of the VCAP.
Qualification and Experience:
- A minimum of Bachelor’s degree of Higher National Diploma in any of the Management or Social Sciences including Agricultural Economics.
- At least 3 years work experience on matters or projects relating to agricultural marketing, agro-processing and agro -industrial development and MSME promotion.
- Strong background in business and market blended with practical skills.
- Good negotiation, inter-personal and communication skills.
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.