Job Description
Green Growth: Promotion of Resource Efficient, Clean and Climate Sensitive Technologies & Solutions
Enterprise Development: Market Development for MSMEs through a value chain approach to enhance effectiveness
Value Chain Development: Inclusive and Holistic View of the Micro-Enterprise
MESPT has in the past 14 years implemented a range of programs including the EU funded Assistance To Micro Enterprises Support Programme (ASMEP), The Innovation Fund for Agriculture, The Endev-K Clean Cook stoves Market Acceleration Project, The USAID/WINROCK Cook stoves revolving fund, The DANIDA funded country programme among which was the Business Sector Programme Support (BSPS) under the Business Competitiveness Component as well as the Natural Resource Management Programme (NRMP).
Currently MESPT is implementing the DANIDA Country Programme dubbed the Value Chain Greening and Financing Programme under the Green Growth and Employment Thematic Programme (GGEP) 2016–2020. The programme focuses majorly on addressing poverty and sustainability issues, accelerating private sector led growth and rendering it greener and more inclusive. It is expected to create employment opportunities, business growth and increased rural household incomes, hence reduce poverty levels. Further, the programme is promoting technologies that build household resilience to climate change consequently reducing the poverty factor that causes households to unsustainably exploit natural resources and the environment.
The AGRIFI EU funded programme is an additional agreement between MESPT and DANIDA to be implemented for the next five years (2018-2022).
ABOUT THE AGRIFI PROGRAMME
The AGRIFI programme is an EU funded project whose objective is to support production initiatives for the smallholder farmer that are adaptive to the changing climate and market requirements. The 5-year programme runs from 2018 to 2022 and MESPT is implementing result areas II and III of the programme. Result area II of the project seeks to strengthen the capacities of actors along selected value chains through the Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education Training (ATVET) system approach. To ensure compliance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) measures by the country, the responsible inspectors and certifiers need to be empowered and equipped with the proper knowledge and tools to regulate SPS compliance of horticulture, aquaculture and dairy produce. Activities under the result area inter alia include supporting upgrading, development and upscaling of agricultural value chain-based training curriculums under the ATVETs.
Under result area III the project seeks to increase the capacity of the private sector and the selected counties to implement and enforce standards on animal health, food safety and plant health. Whereas Kenya has high potential for commercial dairy, fruit, aquaculture and vegetable production for domestic and export market, accessing international markets, Kenyan products must comply with sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Due, in large part, to the lack of awareness of the social, environmental, and economic costs of poor Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) compliance, many producers do not implement good agricultural practices that would mitigate the SPS issues. Therefore, Kenyan horticultural market must strengthen their regulations in complying with sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Activities under the result area will include translation of sanitary and phytosanitary regulations for value-chains supported under result area II into user-friendly sector guidelines tools and practices for use by the sector; and training private and public sector on sanitary and phytosanitary regulations (SPS) and food and animal safety requirements and supporting the development of quality management systems. Counties will also be supported in testing, surveillance and enforcement of SPS regulations.
Broadly the project will strengthen the capacities of value chain actors, bolstering commercial farming and improving food security. Implementing partners include Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Kenya Dairy Board (KDB), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Horticulture Crops Directorate (HCD) and the respective county governments. The project approach shall be participatory and will comprise various interrelated methodologies: market-driven approach, competitive selection of counties/beneficiaries, training of trainers (ToTs), blended learning methodology and use of incentives.
MESPT is therefore looking for outstanding, dynamic, results-oriented and self-driven individuals to fill in 4 programme positions, to ensure the successful delivery of the programme towards achieving its objectives and targets.
REF: 004/2018
Department
Programmes
Position Reports to
AgriFi Programme Manager
Job Purpose
The job holder is responsible for the design and implementation of Dairy Value Chain strategies integral to achieving AgriFi Programme objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Promote functional collaboration with County Governments, Central Competent Authorities as well as with project/ development stakeholders to strengthen Dairy Value Chain.
Take the lead in operationalizing the strategies as defined by AgriFi for promoting Dairy Value Chain in the identified priority Counties.
Work closely with farmers’ associations in the priority Counties to identify opportunities, risks and approaches for the AgriFi programme.
Support the Dairy curriculum review to be used for Competence Based Education and Training.
Identify and review internally produced content and research new and innovative Dairy curricula dissemination best practices to be incorporated in the AgriFi Programme.
Analyse data for the purpose of improving the ATVETs training programme.
Linking and integrating AgriFi ATVET Model in the development of Dairy Value Chain.
Ensure requisite site visits for key programme stakeholders are carried out to track financial and programmatic implementation.
Learning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge Management
Participate in programme planning & review as well as programme co-ordination meetings for MESPT.
Participate in setting and tracking programme performance targets in line with overall strategic goal of the Programme.
Support further development of the AgriFi Dairy value chain data base which will require working with other MESPT departments and programmes to compile reliable and comparable data at an appropriate level of detail.
Strengthening the linkages between Competent Authorities and County Governments for data collection coherence.
Participate in preparation of periodic programmatic and financial reports and share with key stakeholders.
Share information and lessons learnt with partners and other programme staff.
Responsible for the monthly AgriFi programme reporting for Dairy Value Chain.
Strategic Planning & Team Support
Contribute to the formulation and review of MESPT AgriFi programme strategy and planning.
Work with other MESPT staff to identify and develop, where appropriate, new AgriFi project ideas and strategic opportunities that contribute to furtherance of the programming.
Support AgriFi team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance and achieve objectives.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally or formally during regular one-on-one performance reviews.
Maintain a work environment that promotes mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Partnerships & Networking
Represent AgriFi programme at relevant government, donors, partners and NGOs events/meetings in close coordination with the supervisor and the management team.
Coordinate day to day activities with consortium partners, sub grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other MESPT programmes.
Key Result Areas
Promotion of ATVET model
Curriculum Review
Strengthening of food safety systems
Qualifications and Competence
University degree in animal science, veterinary sciences, food sciences or related field.
At least 5 years of relevant working experience, with 3 years’ experience gained in the field of Dairy Value Chain especially in the Dairy development projects, support to farmer groups and/or cooperatives, sanitary and phytosanitary standards and curriculum development.
Experience in Monitoring & Evaluation will be an added advantage.
Good familiarity of ICT applications.
Good oral communication and interpersonal Skills.
Good report writing and presentation skills.
Highly organized individual in planning activities and tracking activity implementation.
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