Website: Website https://ifdc.org/kenya/

Agricultural Economist East & Southern Africa

Position Overview
The East & Southern Africa Agricultural Economist will lead activities related to fertilizer, input and soil health in the areas of markets, economics and policy related issues that contributes to advocacy focusing on improved enabling environment. The Economist will support national and regional projects in East & Southern Africa as well as support IFDC’s strategic priorities including new business through conducting evidence based research and products such as development of policy briefs, research papers, that lead to developing concept notes and new proposals etc. S/he will be based at IFDC’s Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya with regular travel to support regional projects of IFDC as and when required. S/he will be part of IFDC’s Research Team as well as the East & Southern Africa Regional team.
Specific Activities
The Economist will undertake the following activities:

Provide technical leadership and support to the development and implementation of fertilizer and soil health related programs in the areas of economics, markets, and policy related issues;
Liaise and work closely with Ministries of Agriculture, government agencies, private sector, associations, development partners, stakeholders and projects in the region and serves as a key point of contact in agriculture related policy formulation, analysis, implementation and dissemination;
Maintain an active and dynamic policy dialogue with other Government institutions, donor platforms and organizations and private sector to facilitate technical discussions and engage in effective policy development and change in soil and fertilizer related issues;
Coordinate meetings on key issues related to soil health, agricultural inputs and fertilizer markets, policy related issues;
Be responsible for fertilizer, input and policy sector working group/platform meetings (preparation, reporting and following up recommendations)
Provide support/lead in the development of new business related to policy and enabling environment issues with regard to input policies, with particular focus on soil fertility related. Activities may include the development of policy briefs to support new business, the development of concept notes and technical inputs into proposal development;
Participating in and conducting training and capacity building programs on key economic and policy issues on fertilizers and soil health related issues.
Developing and presenting reports and technical papers at meetings, representation in conferences and workshops
Provide support in other areas of work and undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the BFS-Program coordinator and the Regional Director.

Requirements

This position requires a broad knowledge and understanding of economic, agriculture, and fertilizer conditions in East & Southern Africa to properly determine the issues affecting the functioning of markets (inputs) and the role of soil fertility issues affecting the farmer use and adoption.
The position further requires specialized experience in input policies – in terms of formulation and advocacy at different levels and the ability to lead and participate in the implementation of projects associated with development projects involving soil fertility related interventions;
Knowledge and experience for conducting qualitative and quantitative surveys towards generating evidence to support or test the fertilizer market and soil fertility related interventions that have potential impact on policies
Knowledge of international development agencies, government ministries and agencies, and donors to prepare successful funding economic and policy recommendations and proposals to donors;
Strong skills to use statistical and econometric analysis for better research outcomes
Excellent written and oral communication skills to properly prepare technical reports and policy documents and to present lectures on research findings at seminars and workshops to a wide range of technical and non-technical audiences;
Proven experience and skills in project management, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E);
Superior level of resourcefulness and the ability to work independently, manage and complete multiple tasks simultaneously, and to meet deadlines under pressure;
Proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary team, development partners, local communities and government agencies in East & Southern Africa;
Willingness and ability to travel as needed;
Minimum of Ph.D. and 5 to 7 years of relevant research experience or Master’s degree and 10 to 15 years of relevant research experience in an applied field of Economics or Agriculture

Location & Travel

This position will be based at IFDC’s Regional East & Southern Africa Office in Nairobi and primarily covers countries and projects in the region. Support may be required to other countries in which IFDC operates in the region with a travels up to 25-30%.

Contract

Successful candidates will receive a national contract based in Nairobi Kenya.

Required Experience

Knowledge and experience for conducting qualitative and quantitative surveys towards generating evidence to support or test the fertilizer market and soil fertility related interventions that have potential impact on policies
Minimum of Ph.D. and 5 to 7 years of relevant research experience or Master’s degree and 10

Apply via :

ifdc.org

October 28, 2024
PCB Project Manager

The Project Manager, PCB
The Project Manager is responsible for providing overall vision, leadership, coordination and liaison with donors and stakeholders to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in project implementation. Specific roles include:
Leadership

The Project Manager will lead the IFDC team and serve as the primary point of contact with donor with regard to the day-to-day activity implementation and management matters relating to the contract.
The main duties of the Project Manager will be overall project planning, implementation, and management, including financial management.
The Project Manager must ensure the smooth functioning and coordination of all project functions: program quality development and implementation; project finances and administration, outreach and reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
The Project Manager will seek to ensure the technical quality and appropriateness of the technical services provided through the project and the quality of the results generated.
The Project Manager will be the primary point of contact for information on the progress and current status of all project activities and will establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure that activity progress and specific implementation concerns are regularly and promptly reported.
The Project Manager will manage the preparation and presentation of proposed implementation plans and all reports.
Coordinates contributions from all consortium members;
Maintains coherence between project interventions and recommendations of the project advisory committee;
Represents IFDC and the project at all meetings, conferences and other opportunities conducive to publicizing, promoting and marketing the impact of the project; and
Create and maintain good working relationships with the Embassy of Ireland in

Programmatic and Technical

The Project Manager will have technical and management responsibility for all project personnel and be the IFDC representative to the Donor, relevant government agencies and partners, county government officials, other donor, private companies, technical agencies and other participating organizations as required.
The Project Manager will have overall responsibility for assuring that all assistance provided, whether by international or local experts/personnel, is technically sound and appropriate for the needs to be addressed; and for adequately managing and supervising the work of all experts/personnel provided under the agreement.
Set strategic and technical direction for the project, ensuring consistency between the different components and compliance with the approach of the project.
Lead regular management meetings with consortium members.
Initiate and organize project management committee meetings at least twice a year, as well as project advisory committee meetings at least twice a year.
Ensure all project activities are in line with policies and regulations of local/national authorities, as well as of the Donor.
Provide supervision, support, and direction to long- and short-term staff to achieve the results of the project.
Review and approve all project deliverables and documents.
Monitor project indicators in accordance with the Performance Monitoring Plan, evaluate program results and take necessary corrective actions whenever needed.
Supervise completion of timely and high-quality work plans, progress reports and financial reports.
Prepare and lead major project interventions (backstopping, evaluation, etc.).
Participate in regular field visits to the project areas to assure project progress towards activity objectives and goals.
Ensure overall coherence and coordination of activities by all actors.
Develop strong synergies with the 2SCALE project and other relevant projects led by IFDC.

Reporting
The Project Manager will report to the Regional Director for East and Southern Africa or his designee.
Communication and Outreach

Oversee the communications strategy of the project.
Liaise with IFDC regional communications department on topics to be highlighted through success stories, case studies, fact sheets and other outreach materials.
Review and approve all public relations materials.
Establish, maintain and strengthen relationships with IFDC colleagues involved in other relevant projects, county and national government officials and the private sector.
Facilitate the internal communication and sharing of experiences among staff, including among consortium members.
Represent the project at all relevant public events.

Financial and Administrative

Oversee and be responsible for financial and administrative aspects of the project including managing the budget.
Ensure all activities are conducted within the scope of the project budget.
Ensure quality of partner contracts and their smooth handling
Prepare and submit donor reports – technical and financial as per donor requirements

Requirements

A minimum of a Masters’ degree in Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Economics, Agriculture, Natural resources, International Relations or Social Sciences.
At least 7 years’ experience in project management preferably in Agricultural projects and working with key donors; USAID, DFID, EU, WB and other key players in the Agricultural sector
At least 5 years’ experience in fund raising, proposal writing, documentation and donor reporting required.
At least 5 years’ experience capacity building and training of farmer groups, organizations, private companies and/or other agribusinesses.
Strong communication skills in English (both written and verbal).
Strong computer and database management skills required. Knowledge of data analysis programs/software desired.
Ability to exercise significant professional judgement relating to program development implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and must have an ability to prioritize in a multi-task environment.

Others

Ability to work independently under pressure, and able to take initiatives.
Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and international environment.
Strong interpersonal skills, team working skills with ability to maintain effective work relationships.
Excellent communication skills with ability to express ideas clearly, logically, and effectively
Strong coordination and collaboration skills.
Working experience in a similar role is highly desired

Apply via :

ifdc.org

October 28, 2024
Partnership Facilitator – 2SCALE Project

Position summary
The Partnership Facilitator is responsible for the design and implementation of all activities related to the PPPs under her/ his responsibility. She/ he facilitates, in close collaboration with the private partners and other relevant stakeholders, all the interventions by 2SCALE at the levels of partnership, grassroots (i.e. agribusiness cluster), value chain and industry. She/ he also coordinates the support from business support services, consultants, and cross-cutting 2SCALE specialists to the PPPs under her/ his responsibility.
Required Skills

Collect and analyze market and industry information related to anticipated and existing PPPs under her/ his responsibility.
Design, formalize, implement, monitor and document PPPs with private business champions (companies or cooperatives) and other relevant private/ public partners:

Mobilization of actors around target agribusiness clusters and value chains.
Profiling/ assessments of agribusiness cluster and value chain actors.
Business connections of grassroots actors.
Coordination of activities of connected local actors within agribusiness clusters, based on competitive strategies.
Capacity building (technical, organizational) and empowerment programs.
Promotion of innovations within agribusiness clusters and value chains.
Capacity and trust building activities to improve efficiency and reduce transaction costs within value chains.
Linkage of value chain actors to financial and other support services.
PPP key performance indicators and markers for change.
PPP action plans and cost-shared budgets.

Facilitate the development of PPP strategies that are gender-transformative, foster youth inclusion, and are environmentally sustainable:
Ensure that business champions and other relevant private partners understand and adhere to commonly agreed standards of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design – upon request – capacity building activities to deepen the design/ implementation/ monitoring of CSR policies.
Prepare service agreements for business support services, in collaboration with the 2SCALE Contract Manager. Monitor these agreements, particularly through frequent field visits to cluster actors.
Organize frequent governance meetings with the lead partner(s) and other parties in the PPPs. Ensure that governance mechanisms implemented in the partnership are inclusive. Lead the validation, sharing and filing of the minutes of every governance meeting.
Collaborate with the Communication Specialists to develop outreach materials in a frequent manner, and ensure the visibility of the PPPs and their development (achievements, challenges, lessons learnt).
Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other technical reports, notes and partnership profiles.
Participate pro-actively in the industry team, composed of all Partnership Facilitators with PPPs in the same industry. Respond to and seek advice from the 2SCALE management to improve industry knowledge, forward-looking strategizing within the industry, and priority-setting within existing and new PPPs.
Represent the program at relevant national/ local events.
Develop partnership agreements with clear theories of change, and well as related action plans and cost-shared budgets.
Coordinate field interventions that fall under 2SCALE’s responsibility, in line with set targets, and in close collaboration with supporting 2SCALE cross-cutting specialists. These activities may include but not be limited to the following: Monitor and document the progress of the PPPs in line with:

Use a gender lens in every action, analyze gender-related constraints and ensure that proposed strategies are gender-sensitive and address key constraints faced by female stakeholders in each PPP.
Analyze youth-related constraints (for both young women and young men) and ensure that proposed strategies improve youth employment and youth integration in PPPs and their value chains.
Lead the inclusion of environmental considerations in all PPPs, and in every pilot of a new technology/ practice, and design – if needed – capacity building activities to mitigate environmental risks.

Required Experience

Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in agribusiness or agriculture.
At least 5 years of relevant experience in agribusiness/agriculture with the private sector.
Good understanding of and work experience in value chain development.
Proven experience in organizing and facilitating capacity building programs (trainings, demonstrations, field visits, etc.), business meetings, and other events for value chain stakeholders.
Result-orientation and ability to take initiatives under minimal supervision, and to reach targets.
Excellent spoken English and ability to write quality documents in Standard English.

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Financial Inclusion Junior Consultant – 2SCALE

Background
The 2SCALE program[1] is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems. 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch, and other small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs) and producer organizations (POs) to develop business models and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.
Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:

improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP – markets) with nutritious food products.
improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains.
attract and employ the youth.
engage and empower women.

To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide a specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains or act as a major off-taker in the chain. 2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023. It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).
Partnership with Batian Nuts Limited
Batian is a processor and exporter of macadamia operating in Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties of Kenya. 2SCALE partnered with Batian Nuts to improve the production of groundnuts by farmers in Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties and increase the availability of nutritious groundnuts products to low-income consumers. The partnership is building a cluster of farmers who produce aflatoxin free groundnuts sustainably and channel it through Batian for processing and finally to consumers. We support farmers to improve their production through sustainable practices and Batian to secure financing and develop processing capacity for groundnut products. The partnership is particularly keen to support youth and women enterprises that provide services in the supply chain of Batian.
Partnership with Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Limited.
Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd is farmer-led grain aggregator, trader, and supplier operating in the semi-arid counties in eastern Kenya. The partnership between Tegemeo and 2SCALE aims to is to build resilience of smallholder farmers’ commercial farming ventures and to develop affordable and nutritious of sorghum and pearl millet-based products for low-income consumers in the semi-arid counties of Tharaka Nithi, Makueni and Kitui. Resilience of farmer ventures will be built by increasing their production, productivity, and incomes through introduction of high yielding and bio-fortified drought tolerant varieties of sorghum and pearl millet alongside eco-efficient innovations and climate smart farming practices.
About The Financial Inclusion Junior Consultant Role
Access to finance smallholder farmers and other actors in the partnerships is one of the huddles the that must overcome for the partnerships to achieve their ambitions. Financial inclusion interventions are thus a key priority for 2SCALE in 2022. 2SCALE, Batian Nuts and Tegemeo agreed to strengthen internal capitalization of smallholders and other value chain actors by engaging a Financial Inclusion Junior Consultant to operationalization and strengthening Village and Savings Loans Associations (VSLAs) smallholder farmers linked to Batian Nuts and Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd. This activity is captured in Batian Nuts’ and Tegemeo’s 2022 action plans as Activity 3.1 and Activity 2.1, respectively and is due for implementation. In this SoW, 2SCALE will hire this consultant for a period of one year.
Objectives
Operationalize and strengthen 250 Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) of smallholder farmers linked to Batian Nuts and Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd.
Tasks

Take a participative and active role in the overall implementation of 2SCALE’s financial inclusion interventions.
Mobilization, recruitment, and registration of VSLA/farmer organizations linked to Batian Nuts and Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd.
Participate in development and review of group-lending specific financial products based on market needs.
Work with VSLAs/ farmer organizations to deliver a range of financial literacy training targeted to their individual needs. These include record keeping assistance, cash-flow management, credit management, and referrals to financial institutions.
Coaching, mentoring, and hand holding of Batian Nuts and Tegemeo extensionists in delivery of financial literacy training.
Recording, verifying and assessment of data on VSLA/ farmer organization savings.
Identify, initiate, and manage community strategic partnerships that increase quality of 2SSCALE’s Financial Inclusion interventions.
Submit timely monthly and quarterly reports as required by 2SCALE.
Support 2SCALE communications team with success stories from the field.

Environmental screening and mitigation measures
This assignment will not have any significant adverse effect on the environment.
Expected results

Successful undertaking of the aforementioned tasks will result in
Increased financial literacy among smallholder farmers, and other partnership actors
Increased savings in the VSLAs, with savings data captured under the partnership’s UII-8
Creation of linkages between Batian Nuts, Tegemeo, the VSLAs and financial institutions operating within Tharaka Nithi county.

The Consultant will be based in Giekuri , Marimanti town, Tharaka Nithi county at the field offices where the BSS’s/business champions are located. S/he will travel in-country to meet with field partners and any other program related activities.
Required Qualifications

An undergraduate bachelor’s degree in Business related courses from a recognized institution.
Knowledge in sales and marketing, group-lending, credit, and risk management as well as relevant experience in the micro-finance and banking sectors
Experience working with rural communities, table banking “chamas” or farmer organizations or farmer groups
Experience in delivering training of financial education, mentoring and coaching

Skills

Proficiency in computers is mandatory.
Ability to analyze and interpret financial statements.
Clear understanding of microfinance/banking industry is an added advantage.
Good interpersonal and communication skills with excellent customer service.
A team player with the drive to improve performance.
Persuasive with strong recognition and facilitation skills.
Self-driven with the ability to work independently under minimum supervision.
Knowledge of Meru and Tharaka languages.

Collaboration and Reporting
The consultant will report to the Partnership Facilitator responsible for the partnerships, with support of the Financial Inclusion team for which they are assigned and will benefit from coaching from other team members of 2SCALE. The consultant will be expected to make monthly reports and activity reports from specific activities such as field travels, trainings, workshops, among others.

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Gender Specialist – 2SCALE Kenya

Background

The 2SCALE program[1] is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems. 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch, and other small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs) and Producer Organizations (POs) to develop business and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.

Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:

Improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP – markets) with nutritious food products.
Improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains.
Attract and employ the youth.
Engage and empower women.

To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains or act as a major off-taker in the chain.

2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2023. It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).

Gender Equity (GE) & Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Strategy 2SCALE:

2SCALE’s general objective on GE & WEE is to support agribusiness models where women (as small holder farmers , processors, traders and other Entrepreneurs, and employees); enjoy full access to capacity building, support services, equipment, inputs and assets delivered by Business Support Services (BSSs), other service providers and suppliers (e.g. financial institutions, extension units, spray service providers and agro-input dealers, etc.); benefit from this support in the form of increased yields, incomes, jobs, time available, and are able to make/influence decisions at household, agribusiness cluster and value chain levels.

The program has set ambitious targets in terms of improving the terms of inclusion of female actors in focus value chain. Overall, 2SCALE program targets (in relation to gender)

750,000 small holder farmer groups (50% of them women)
250 SMEs (125 – female-led SMEs)
20,000 new non-farming jobs (10,000 Jobs for females)
5,000 MSMEs (2,500 female led MSMEs)
125,000 female smallholder farmers, 1,000 female-led MSMEs, and 62 female-led SMEs have access to additional financial services.

Moreover, it is necessary to look beyond the above numbers and understand how the role of women and their position in society has changed (or not) e.g.,

How did women gain self-confidence as farmers and entrepreneurs? How did inspiring role models emerge?
How were women able to voice their concerns as farmers and advocate for better inclusion in value chains?
How did women use time freed-up by labor/time-saving technologies?
What gender-sensitive services did producer organizations, SMEs and BSSs develop and deliver

Specifically, The Gender Specialist(s) Will Support 2SCALE To Ensure The Following Objectives Are Met To Help Achieve The Above Targets

In support of these efforts 2SCALE proposes to recruit a Gender Specialist(s).

Inclusion of women in private businesses and organizations (MSMEs, POs)
Foster women’s access to productive resources (land, capital, inputs, time and labor-saving technologies, equipment, infrastructure)
Strengthen gender-responsive services from private and public service providers (training, extension, coaching, finance, information)
Improve women’s capacities to network and establish relations (with peers, in professional organizations, at agri-business cluster level, and in value chains)
Strengthen women’s ability to influence decisions, negotiate and control a fair share of the benefits accruing from their activity within their household and along the value chain.

Position Summary

The Gender Specialist(s), in close collaboration with the gender team, is responsible for steering the GE & WEE agenda in the assigned countries. He/She is expected to provide required technical support to 2SCALE country teams by ensuring women’s (as small holder farmers, processors, traders and other Entrepreneurs, and employees) terms of inclusion are improved. She/he will stimulate country teams with innovative approaches and strategies to balance private sector business interest with GE & WEE goal. She/he is responsible for providing all demanded and needed support to the assigned country teams to reach the targets, planned results and impact.

Main tasks

Working in close cooperation with the 2SCALE Partnership Facilitators and the Business Champions (SME or PO) the Gender Specialist(s) will ensure GEE &WEE in the following 2SCALE thematic areas: BoP marketing, youth inclusion, financial inclusion, agribusiness cluster formation, business support services, coaching, loyalty and trust building and increased productivity. She/he will work closely with 2SCALE technical specialists in above mentioned thematic areas to facilitate the integration of the thematic-related strategies in the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

In addition, the Gender specialist(s) will accomplish the following specific tasks:

Ensure women inclusion in PPPs and participation in Agribusiness Clusters:
Help build relevant technical skills for women to increase their production and income.
Prepare training materials and work as trainer in areas related to agribusiness in all regular training topics of the champion.
Support Partnership Facilitators and Agribusiness Cluster Coaches to deliver gender training and report on training activities.
Support and facilitate women entrepreneurship and leadership development in 2SCALE partnerships.
Support linkages with financial institutions and other actors targeting women in relevant value chains. Based on country context, support/promote savings and lending associations as a starting point to financial access and inclusion.
Support private sector development and engagement with women entrepreneurs to promote and distribute products in BoP markets.
Support women participation in governance meetings.
Support the country portfolio and Partnership Facilitators (PFs) orientation on Gender & WEE.
Advise country-based Partnership Facilitators on key issues and improvements on interventions and their implications on 2SCALE GEE & WEE agenda based on market dynamics and emerging trends.
Support Partnership Facilitators on their relations with different actors in the respective countries and other thematic areas.
Support 2SCALE teams to facilitate market relevant and female-friendly trainings on social and business development and technical skills; consistently identify further capacity gaps by the Business Champion and women that may hinder formation of concrete linkage, trusting and sustainable working relationship between women entrepreneurs and Business Champions.
Ensure GE &WEE country specific activity plans are aligned with other 2SCALE thematic areas.
Provide required support to Business Champion & stakeholder PPP:
Promote good and strategic relationships between Business Champions, women agribusiness actors and 2SCALE in country consortium partners.
Support 2SCALE teams in women identification and mobilization to join the program in coordination with the Business Champions and leverage on other ongoing in country GE &WEE programs and activities for scale and sustainability.
Collaborate with the Communication Specialists to develop outreach materials frequently. Also, ensure the visibility of the GE &WEE Thematic Area and its development (achievements, challenges, lessons learned) and positioning of women as reliable partners in public private sector partnerships and the positive spinoffs of Business Champions providing opportunities for women.
Provide technical support to Business Service Suppliers and Agribusiness Cluster Coaches for women Inclusion:
GE &WEE thematic knowledge development, reporting and communication:
Provide required technical support for capacity building of Agribusiness Cluster (ABC) coaches and other trainers to enable them to reach increased number of women.
Support ABC capacity strengthening programs for women inclusion.
Participate pro-actively in the industry team, respond to and seek advice from the 2SCALE management to improve women inclusion theme knowledge, forward-looking strategizing within the industry, and priority-setting within existing and new PPPs.
Document lessons learned, good practices on women and Business Champion engagement/linkages; document case studies on concrete GE &WEE examples in 2SCALE Partnerships (PPPs) where women are excelling.; formulate GE and WEE annual learning agenda and make recommendations for improvements as the program evolves.
Develop and disseminate relevant documentation on effective contributions to GE &WEE to local stakeholders including national governments that influence positive spinoffs to an enabling environment for female-led enterprises, in line with 2SCALE broader knowledge and learning agenda.
Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other GE & WEE Thematic technical reports, notes; ensure coordination of M&E of GE & WEE activities in the assigned countries and contribute inputs in partnership development.
The Gender Specialist(s) may implement other tasks that the 2SCALE management deems necessary for the success of the program.

Supervision and team collaboration

The Gender Specialist(s) is supervised by and reports to the 2SCALE Deputy Program Director and works closely with 2SCALE Country Team Leader and in close collaboration with all 2SCALE colleagues in designated countries.

S/he will also collaborate closely with Partnership Facilitators and Thematic Specialists based in-country and in other 2SCALE focus countries.

Qualifications

Master’s degree/Bachelor’s degree in Gender or Women Studies, Gender, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Business Studies, Economics Studies, Agricultural Sciences, Agribusiness, or Agricultural Economics.
Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
At least 5 years work experience in entrepreneurship in agro processing and gender mainstreaming.
Experience of leading, supporting, managing, inspiring and coaching staff with different disciplines and backgrounds.
A good understanding of the cultural barriers affecting women efficacy and agency in developing countries.
Strong interpersonal, leadership, planning and coordination skills.
Project management cycle knowhow is an added advantage.
Strong communication (written and oral), presentation and report writing skills.
Fluency in English is mandatory, Fluency in French is an asse

Apply via :

ifdc-hr.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Agricultural Economist East & Southern Africa

About the job
Agricultural Economist East & Southern Africa

IFDC Overview

IFDC is a nonprofit, science-based organization working to alleviate global hunger and poverty by improving sustainable agricultural productivity. IFDC enables smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase agricultural productivity, generate economic growth, and practice environmental stewardship by enhancing their ability to manage mineral and organic fertilizers responsibly and participate profitably in input and output markets.

IFDC was established in 1974 in response to the twin crises of food insecurity and rising energy prices. IFDC is governed by an international board of directors and supported by bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, private enterprises and foundations and Headquartered in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA.

IFDC manages field activities in over 20 countries in Africa and Asia through three regional offices in Accra, Nairobi and Dhaka covering respectively: West Africa, East and Southern Africa, and Asia.

Position Overview

The East & Southern Africa Agricultural Economist will lead activities related to fertilizer, input and soil health in the areas of markets, economics and policy related issues that contributes to advocacy focusing on improved enabling environment. The Economist will support national and regional projects in East & Southern Africa as well as support IFDC’s strategic priorities including new business through conducting evidence based research and products such as development of policy briefs, research papers, that lead to developing concept notes and new proposals etc. S/he will be based at IFDC’s Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya with regular travel to support regional projects of IFDC as and when required. S/he will be part of IFDC’s Research Team as well as the East & Southern Africa Regional team.

Specific Activities

The Economist Will Undertake The Following Activities

Provide technical leadership and support to the development and implementation of fertilizer and soil health related programs in the areas of economics, markets, and policy related issues;

Liaise and work closely with Ministries of Agriculture, government agencies, private sector, associations, development partners, stakeholders and projects in the region and serves as a key point of contact in agriculture related policy formulation, analysis, implementation and dissemination;

Maintain an active and dynamic policy dialogue with other Government institutions, donor platforms and organizations and private sector to facilitate technical discussions and engage in effective policy development and change in soil and fertilizer related issues;

Coordinate meetings on key issues related to soil health, agricultural inputs and fertilizer markets, policy related issues;

Be responsible for fertilizer, input and policy sector working group/platform meetings (preparation, reporting and following up recommendations)

Provide support/lead in the development of new business related to policy and enabling environment issues with regard to input policies, with particular focus on soil fertility related. Activities may include the development of policy briefs to support new business, the development of concept notes and technical inputs into proposal development;

Participating in and conducting training and capacity building programs on key economic and policy issues on fertilizers and soil health related issues.

Developing and presenting reports and technical papers at meetings, representation in conferences and workshops

Provide support in other areas of work and undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the BFS-Program coordinator and the Regional Director.

Requirements

This position requires a broad knowledge and understanding of economic, agriculture, and fertilizer conditions in East & Southern Africa to properly determine the issues affecting the functioning of markets (inputs) and the role of soil fertility issues affecting the farmer use and adoption.

The position further requires specialized experience in input policies – in terms of formulation and advocacy at different levels and the ability to lead and participate in the implementation of projects associated with development projects involving soil fertility related interventions;

Knowledge and experience for conducting qualitative and quantitative surveys towards generating evidence to support or test the fertilizer market and soil fertility related interventions that have potential impact on policies

Knowledge of international development agencies, government ministries and agencies, and donors to prepare successful funding economic and policy recommendations and proposals to donors;

Strong skills to use statistical and econometric analysis for better research outcomes

Excellent written and oral communication skills to properly prepare technical reports and policy documents and to present lectures on research findings at seminars and workshops to a wide range of technical and non-technical audiences;

Proven experience and skills in project management, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E);

Superior level of resourcefulness and the ability to work independently, manage and complete multiple tasks simultaneously, and to meet deadlines under pressure;

Proven ability to work cooperatively with a multi-disciplinary team, development partners, local communities and government agencies in East & Southern Africa;

Willingness and ability to travel as needed;

Minimum of Ph.D. and 5 to 7 years of relevant research experience or Master’s degree and 10 to 15 years of relevant research experience in an applied field of Economics or Agriculture

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Consultancy – Accounting and Audit – 2SCALE

Background

The 2SCALE program[1] is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems. 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch, and other small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs) and producer organizations (POs) to develop business and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.

Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:

improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP – markets) with nutritious food products.
improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains.
attract and employ the youth.
engage and empower women.

To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide a specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains or act as a major off-taker in the chain.

2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023. It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).

One of the agribusinesses 2SCALE is working with to support the sorghum and pearl millet value chains in Kenya is Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd, a farmer-led grain aggregator, trader, and supplier operating in the semi-arid counties in eastern Kenya. The company began its operations in 2008 as a farm inputs shop and later grew into a grain aggregator and retailer. Tegemeo seeks to aggregate and sell more grain and diversify its market by milling sorghum and pearl millet-based flours.

The partnership between Tegemeo and 2SCALE aims to is to build resilience of smallholder farmers’ commercial farming ventures and to develop affordable and nutritious of sorghum and pearl millet-based products for low-income consumers in the semi-arid counties of Tharaka Nithi, Makueni and Kitui. Resilience of farmer ventures will be built by increasing their production, productivity, and incomes through introduction of high yielding and bio-fortified drought tolerant varieties of sorghum and pearl millet alongside eco-efficient innovations and climate smart farming practices.

Objectives

The main objective of this assignment is to provide accounting and audit services for Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd which will inform the transformation process within the partnership from manual bookkeeping to automated bookkeeping and record keeping. To do so, this assignment will conduct an in-depth analysis of the financial records, working from incomplete records to prepare financial statements that present a true and fair view of the company for the last 3 years (2018-2020).

Specific objectives

1.1 Accounting

Identify and ascertain the operating results and financial position of the company for the last three years through analysis of the financial records.
Collect and analyze quantitative information of the company on each of these cost items/drivers incurred to generate revenues and form a trend analysis on the movement of costs for Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise for the last three years.
Prepare asset, liability, and capital account entries by compiling and analyzing account information from the existing financial records.
Summarize current financial status by collecting information, preparing balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cashflow statements and other financial reports.
Analyze trends, costs, revenues, financial commitments, and obligations incurred to predict future revenues and expenses.
Reports organization’s finances to management and offers suggestions about resource utilization, tax strategies and assumptions underlying budget forecasts.
Review and recommend modifications to accounting systems and procedures while guiding the existing accountant for Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd on compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as well as the best accounting practices.
Guide the accounting team at Tegemeo in transition of Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd from manual accounting system into a digital accounting system.

1.2 Auditing

The role will mainly involve tracking the cash flows and accounts of Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd to ensure that they are being recorded and processed correctly, that the assets of the company are protected through appropriate control measures and that financial records meet the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs).

The External Audit Consultant Shall Be Tasked To

The audit should specifically look at the company external and internal environment in relation to the current organization control environment and communicate with the management team on the relevant controls to put in place.

Evaluate financial statements and assess the accounts for accuracy and compliance with the IFRSs.
Assess the risk management approaches of the company and provide feedback reports on findings.
Report on any existing or suspected errors and fraudulent activities within the company during the period under review.
Provide an audit opinion as to whether the financial statements present a true and fair view of the company performance and financial position.

Tasks

Develop a detailed schedule and methodology for this assignment. The methodology will be validated and approved by Tegemeo Cereals Enterprises Ltd and 2SCALE prior to implementation.
Develop a technical proposal for this assignment.
Develop the data collection instruments with inputs from Tegemeo and 2SCALE.
Conduct an in-depth preparation of Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd financial statements for the last 3 years (2018-2020) as well as the management accounts for the year 2021 to June 2021. The financial statements will be prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and compliance to the Kenya’s Companies Act, 2015.
Conduct an audit of the financial statements for the last 3 years (2018-2020) of Tegemeo Cereals Enterprise Ltd and provide an opinion on whether it gives a true and fair view of the company’s financial performance for the years and of its financial position for the years then ended.
Develop a management letter addressed to the management team. This should be summarized in Power Point and presented at the audit close-out meeting, incorporating management feedback on the final management letter.

Methods and Scope of Study

The assignment will be conducted in Giekuri, Nkondi Central, Tharaka Nithi where the Company is headquartered. Methods utilized will include collecting both qualitative and quantitative information of the company information. It is expected that the consultant will collect detailed primary data on financial performance and financial position and where necessary utilize data analysis techniques on incomplete records to prepare the financial statements. The consultant will by the approval of Tegemeo obtain any relevant information from third parties who have transacted with the company over the last 3 years (January 2018-December 2020) or as may be required by the consultant. Accounting records and any other relevant information for this assignment will be provided to the consultant as required.

Environmental screening and mitigation measures

The activity has been screened for any impact it may have on the environment and found to pose no risk, therefore no specific mitigating measures are necessary.

Expected results

3 Years financial statements (January 2018-December 2020) prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs)
Management accounts for the year 2021 to June 2021
Audited financial statements for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020.
A detailed management letter, showing lapse in controls, recommendations, and management comments.

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Regional Communications Officer – East & South Africa

The Position

IFDC’s global communications team is committed to creating and equipping internal and external champions of IFDC’s mission and vision. As a part of this team, the Regional Communications Coordinator – East and Southern Africa will oversee and assist in the development of regional communications and public relations materials that strengthen IFDC’s reputation and influence and build trust with key audiences in the East and Southern Africa region.

The regional coordinator will lead core communications business, including content production, brand awareness, and internal engagement across all countries in the East and Southern African region.

A key member of the global communications team, the Regional Communications Coordinator will ensure the quality planning and delivery of high-impact communications for local to global audiences in support of IFDC’s 2020-2030 Strategy and Business Plan.

This position is open to international and national applicants and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. The Regional Communications Coordinator will report to the Corporate Communications Manager based at IFDC Headquarters in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA.

Key Responsibilities

In partnership with field offices across the region and in coordination with the Global Communications team, the coordinator will be responsible for the following.

Strategic Communications Leadership

Leads and executes a regional integrated communications strategy to strengthen IFDC’s regional and global reputation.
Encourages innovation among staff to continually optimize ways of working to steward resources well and improve quality of communications outputs.
Advises regional and programmatic leadership on strategic reputation, brand, and communications opportunities across the region.
Oversees production of high-quality content relevant to priority audiences, positioning IFDC as a leader in its strategic priority fields.
Ensures content is relevant for regional and global audiences and meets the needs of IFDC stakeholders at all levels.
Pushes the boundaries of creative content delivery with a willingness to try innovative methods and celebrate the success or learn from the missteps.
Manages an engaged regional social media presence with partners and donors, protecting the IFDC brand and ensuring compliance of all regional and project accounts.
Stays on the cutting edge of social media – adopting trends as necessary, adapting to changing platforms, and keeping IFDC’s image relevant on social media.
Engages traditional media at a regional level to maximize positioning of IFDC in key regional outlets.
Coordinates and oversees a region-wide team of communicators to deliver high-quality and engaging products covering research and development work in the region.
Cooperates with the Head of Knowledge Management to ensure retention and sharing of organizational and project knowledge and documents.
Works with the Director of Strategic Communications to assist in the development of priority stakeholder documents, such as capability statements and position papers.
Reports successes and lessons learned on a monthly basis to the Corporate Communications Manager and shares with the Global Communications Team.
Emphasizes and supports the mantra that “We are all communicators,” connecting, informing, and inspiring all staff to tell the organization’s story.
Assists in knowledge-sharing efforts in the IFDC communications community of practice as well as among project and research staff and leaders.

Content Development Leadership

Media/Social Media Leadership

Team Management

Internal Engagement

Required

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

University degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or another related field.
Excellent leadership and organizational skills.
Track record of self- and team-management successes.
Excellent presentation, written, and verbal communication skills.
Strong track record in media relations.
Demonstrated experience leading effective digital communications, including social media, and an understanding of relevant tools and trends.
Proven ability to effectively team and project manage to deliver outcomes on time.
Demonstrated understanding of international development systems and communication/donor networks.
Fluency in English and French is essential for this position.

Preferred

At least five years of progressively responsible and relevant professional work experience in communications, marketing/PR, and journalism and at least three years managerial level experience demonstrated.
Solid/advanced work experience at a similar level, leading communications and public engagement strategies in the NGO or private sector.
Experience leading a team in the international development sector. Background/‌familiarity in communications for development.
Skill in leading and supervising, formulating strategies and concepts, relating and networking, persuading and influencing, and entrepreneurial thinking.
Adoption of thinking that is informed by context and practice, and shows consistency of treatment and a clear strategic focus. Able to select and evaluate critical information to plan and manage communications and public engagement for local/regional entity.
Advocate of an efficient, effective, and transparent flow of information across entities and with key internal and external stakeholders (requiring a high level of written communication and reporting, as well as a clear and persuasive verbal presentation style).
Ability to manage multiple requests and priorities according to strategic needs, applying an agile approach to decision-making and execution.

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024
Internship – Marketing

Background: 2SCALE

The 2SCALE program[1] is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems. 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch and other small and medium-sized enterprises – SMEs) and producer organizations (POs) to develop business models and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.

Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:

Improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP – markets) with nutritious food products.
Improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains, including women economic empowerment and youth employment.

To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide a specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains or act as a major off-taker in the chain.

2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023. It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (Bopinc) and SNV Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).

In the Kenya portfolio, there are 10 partnerships developed with different business champions. The partnerships in in animal production, staple crops, vegetables, and oil crops. The activities are implemented in the field in collaboration with different partners and actors including farmers, service providers, and county governments, among others. Partnership facilitators support implementation of activities in each partnership.

To support the work of the partnership facilitators and businesses champions, we intend to engage three interns for implementation of the BoP activities in the assigned BoP markets.

Objectives of the internship

The Specific Objectives And Tasks Are

The main objective of the internship is to provide extra resources for on-ground execution for marketing and distribution activities planned for each partnership with a BoP component. The interns will work directly with the mid-level marketing consultants and the 2SCALE senior BoP marketing specialist to ensure that the BoP activity calendar is achieved in a timely manner.

To assist with on-ground execution of marketing and distribution activities.
Assist in preparation (e.g., obtaining council permits, tent set ups) and carrying out market activations.
Co-lead the champion’s sales team to build and monitor retailer network.
Prepare concise sales and distribution reports on weekly, monthly, and quarterly bases.

Location

Based in IFDC Nairobi office with frequent field visits to the respective partnership field offices.

Reporting

The marketing interns will report to the respective marketing consultant and the 2SCALE BoP marketing specialist. They will also benefit from coaching from other team members of 2SCALE.

The intern will be expected to make daily, weekly, and monthly reports from specific activities such as field travels, trainings, workshops, among others.

Required Qualifications

Qualifications and Skills Required

Bachelor’s Degree in Business related course with a major in marketing.
The intern should have completed university course in the last one year
Experience in FMCG marketing activities as brand ambassadors or sales representatives
Should have successfully executed outdoor activations.
Personal laptops.

Skills

Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
Good report writing skills.
Negotiation skills
Ability to speak local language is an added advantage (if required)

General Terms and Conditions

IFDC Africa Internship Policy applies for interns working at IFDC offices in Africa.
The Internship Program operates on a monthly flat-rate stipend of $200 paid in the local currency equivalent. Costs and arrangements for approved in-country travel, and accommodation is provided by IFDC.
The purpose of the Internship Program is not to lead to further employment with IFDC but to complement an intern’s studies or expose them to the real world of marketing. Therefore, there should be no expectation of employment at the end of an internship.

Interested candidates are required to send their CV and cover letter as one document to pmutinda@ifdc.org with the email subject ‘Marketing Internship position’ on or before Friday, 14th May 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Apply via :

pmutinda@ifdc.org

October 28, 2024
Africa Fertilizer.Org (AFO) Program Manager

Overview

AfricaFertilizer.org (AFO) is an initiative led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) which began activities in 2010. The AFO Initiative implements activities across the Sub-Saharan African (SSA) region with current support and funding from the International Fertilizer Association (IFA) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). Key technical partners include the Africa Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), Development Gateway (through the BMGF VIFAA Project), Wallace & Associates, and the Africa Union Commission (AUC).

AFO’s Vision is to be the leading provider of fertilizer data and information for Africa to support market transparency, improved decision making, and a more prosperous agriculture sector. AFO’s Mission is to be the provider of reliable, high-quality, unbiased data and information on fertilizer and soil fertility issues in Africa. In order to accomplish this, AFO is progressively working to develop, manage, facilitate and share technical and market information on fertilizers in Africa to support the implementation of continental, regional and national agricultural policies and regulations that benefit both the public and private sector, including smallholder farmers and agro-dealers. AFO is expected to play a lead role in data and advocacy leading up to and following the anticipated African Soil Health Summit in 2022.

In 2019, a strategic plan was completed that has created a road map for AFO to strengthen its capacity and visibility to capitalize on the growing demand for fertilizer market information in public and private sectors. Within IFDC, AFO is being elevated to a strategic initiative with an expanded budget and targeting of new donors and partners to expand its reach and mandate. Critical investments are being made into its capacity, systems and processes to enable AFO to capitalize on its potential. In addition, the former AFO Coordinator position is being elevated to “Program Manager”.

AFO now seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial fertilizer market expert to serve as Program Manager for this new phase of AFO’s growth.

Required Skills

Key Responsibilities

Build, strengthen, and manage partnerships with regional and national institutions, fertilizer related projects implemented by partners, key industry partners, and stakeholders;
Identify and follow up on new short- and long-term funding opportunities with traditional and non-traditional donors;
Assess, prioritize, and identify data and information gaps required by key stakeholders;
Coordinate AfricaFertilizer.Org projects, activities and operations covering 10+ countries in SSA;
Manage, deliver, and lead national AFO staff (fertilizer market analysts, regional database managers and short-term data/marketing consultants) in development of national and regional fertilizer value chain reports;
Monitor performance of the project team to ensure all milestones set in the annual work plan are met;
develop mitigation plans to reduce risks and take corrective actions to remedy any deviation from the work plan;
Oversee accounting and reporting to IFDC and donors on the project’s performance;
Identify critical data gaps where AFO can strengthen its data portfolio;
Identify how technology and innovation can support the introduction of scalable data collection methods.

Required Experience

Qualifications

Basic knowledge of the fertilizer sector is a minimum requirement; strong knowledge of the SSA fertilizer industry and fertilizer products is an advantage;
A combination of at least 5 years relevant work experience in the following sectors:

Fertilizer industry and/or market information;
Market analysis;
Project management and fundraising;

Apply via :

jobs.silkroad.com

October 28, 2024