Agribusiness Support Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level. 
The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specifically, FAO Country Offices: 
•     advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate.
•     provide technical assistance and deliver core services. 
•     assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation. 
•     position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and 
•     ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.  

The position is located in the FAO Country Office in Kenya.

The grade of the position is SC7.

Reporting Lines

The Agribusiness Support Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Kenya, the general supervision of the Programme Manager Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and the direct supervision of the project lead of the “Building Opportunities for Refugee and Host Community Resilience and Self-Reliance” project (UNJP/KEN/120/EC).

Technical Focus

Provide day to day technical support to both refugee and host communities, implementing partners, and County Government in integrating the project agribusiness component effectively while ensuring that the activities focus on women and youth beneficiaries, to promote their empowerment and creation of economic opportunities in Kakuma-Kalobeyei.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Assist in field coordination and collaborate with the crop production component to develop a production plan and establish an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Farmer Field School programme especially in Horti farms and open fields. 
•     Assist in field coordination and collaborate with the crop production components to enable development of costs of production analyses for farmers, and business investment profiles for lenders and investors.
•     Facilitate connections between farmers' groups and agricultural service providers, ensuring equitable access to inputs, technologies, and support services that enhance productivity and resilience.
•     Provide technical support and guidance on effective business management practices to the existing and emerging food processing business beneficiaries in the targeted area.
•     Support development of inclusive rural business models to enable accelerated access to quality inputs and market access through collective marketing for the smallholder farmers.
•     Facilitate training and capacity building to farmers and other value chain actors to enhance their understanding of agribusiness concepts and practices and to effectively support beneficiaries especially women and youth to engage in agri-business and marketing.
•     Support training of agricultural extension service providers to provide record keeping, conducting financial analyses, including cost-benefit analyses, profitability assessment, and risk management, to determine the financial feasibility and sustainability of various project agribusiness activities.
•     Facilitate effective partnerships between farmers, agro-pastoralists, and/or farmer groups, and small enterprises that undertake Agri-hire mechanization service provision, input suppliers (agro-dealers), aggregators, and financial services providers.
•     Facilitate linkages and access to finance, credit, and insurance services for progressive farmers to support their investment and expansion and transition them into rural micro enterprises.
•     Support farm management and water user committees and partners on technical issues related to the management, maintenance and sustainability of the water infrastructure and farms.
•     Support food hub entrepreneurs in business skills and entrepreneurship training.
•     Support monitoring and evaluation of outputs, indicators, and results of the project against the agreed work plan, subsequent regular report writing, and identify constraints and issues that require timely resolution and corrective actions.
•     Support project lead in coordinating and supervising LOA activities in Turkana West.
•     Monitor trends in agribusiness markets and trade, and agro-processing technologies.
•     Perform other duties as may be assigned by the FAO representative or their duly appointed representative

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  
 
•     Advanced university degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, or a related field.
•     At least 7 years of relevant experience related to both entrepreneurial development, small-scale enterprises development and agricultural commodities marketing with emphasis on rural development within smallholder production and marketing schemes.
•     Working knowledge of English and Kiswahili
•     National of Kenya

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Work experience in arid and semi-arid areas with an understanding of relevant agricultural production systems, value chains, and rural development dynamics in a humanitarian context. 
•     Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively with multicultural communities and communicate complex financial/agribusiness concepts to diverse audiences.
•     Familiarity and proven experience in collective action strengthening, capacity development, and improved access to inputs and services.
•     Excellent team-building and cross-cultural skills.
•     Excellent computer skills, communication, writing and presentation skills.
•     Experience of working with the government counterparts, national or international financial institutions, private sector/ civil society in the field of economic and social development.
Experience in Market Systems Development (MSD) in the agricultural sector is an added advantage

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION