Key Duties and Responsibilities
Drive AGRA’s strategy to improve farmers access to and use of agro-inputs on a large-scale, at an affordable cost and in a more sustainable way;
Support extensive training, financing, and collaboration with both wholesale and retail agro-dealers to build dense, functional networks of input suppliers throughout AGRA’s program area;
Drive effective negotiations with governments and donor agencies involved with developing strategies for input supply, including subsidy schemes, with a view to minimizing the distortional effects of subsidy schemes;
Work closely with AGRA’s heads of seed systems and soil fertility and fertilizer systems to ensure that the improved seed and fertilizers reaching farmers is up-to-date and of acceptable quality;
Drive the creation of demand toward increased use of yield enhancing inputs, promotion of sustainable crop production technologies, business networking and reduction in marketing costs of agricultural commodities in rural markets;
Through collaborations, build efficient input supply systems through improved access to finance and business partnerships with both government and donor institutions;
Drive the reduction of transaction costs (both at farm and for entrepreneurs);
Support the sensitization and training of large numbers of agro-dealers to stimulate supply of agro-inputs;
Working with various sectors – mainly the private sector, nurture the emergence of an input supply network;
Support agro-dealer empowerment through knowledge and technical skills development in business management, safe product handling, crop husbandry practices and the formation of agro-dealer business associations;
Coordinate capacity development programs that will link Agro-Dealers with formal financial institutions and farm input suppliers or wholesale traders for credit purposes to improve their working capital base;
Push for credit availability for agro-dealers to boost their business working capital via increased business stocks to enhance availability of all farm inputs in the amounts demanded.
Key Qualifications and Experience required
Bachelor’s degree from a reputable academic institution in a relevant field, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, rural development, business or economics;
Master’s degree in rural development, business or economics or relevant filed;
PhD in agricultural sciences, or related field will be an added advantage;
10 years’ experience in agro-business development, preferably in farm inputs planning, agro dealer management and economic analysis;
Proven track record of developing input supply systems in Africa;
Deep knowledge of the structure and functioning of private sector-driven input supply systems in Africa;
Experience in working with input supply companies, including seed companies and fertilizer blenders and suppliers in the African context, and with linking suppliers to retailers at village level;
Knowledge of public-private extension systems which link farmer learning with the adoption of improved inputs;
Knowledge of ICT-based payment systems used by input retailers and farmers in Africa, as well as e-verification schemes aimed at ensuring the supply of quality inputs among farmers;
Proven track record of innovation in the marketing and supply of inputs among smallholder farmers, including packaging, promotion, farmer outreach, and the involvement of agro-dealers in agricultural extension services;
Ability to work effectively and build the knowledge base of both national and regional teams in the specialized field of input supply;
Knowledge of the public regulatory regimes operating at national level to ensure the supply of genuine inputs of an acceptable quality;
Experience in designing learning curricula for agro-dealers being trained in the management of input supply businesses;
Basic knowledge of the finances of input suppliers and financial skills required for effective management of both wholesale and retail input supply businesses;
Ability to work with specialized agencies engaged in the training and financing of input supply systems;
Fluency in English required, knowledge of French and/or Portuguese considered an asset;
Willingness to travel frequently to remote field locations.

Apply via :

agra.org