National Agricultural Value Chain Specialist 312 views

The Government of Ethiopia (GoE) ratified in January 2019 the Global Compact for Refugees[1] to provide a framework for durable solutions to address the refugee hosting areas of Ethiopia. This is in alignment with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that seek to respond to the growing global challenges exacerbating forced displacement among other things. The government-led plan to develop sustainable, inclusive, and market-driven initiatives that resonate with the regional priorities of refugee hosting will be supported by FAO and UNHCR. Such programs require in-depth assessments and analysis for better understanding of the gaps opportunities and potential for development in line with the comparative advantages of the regions with refugee presence.

FAO and UNHCR in Ethiopia intend to collaborate in generating evidence through analysis of the food security, agricultural and livestock livelihoods situations and the needs of the refugee and returnee populations, as well as their host communities. The project “UNHCR – FAO 2019 Collaboration Framework: Agriculture and Livestock Sector Development in Refugee hosting areas of Ethiopia” aims at developing selected strategic agricultural value chains in the refugee hosting areas of Ethiopia. The commodities will be prioritized through consultation of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Regional authorities and UNHCR. The project will address systemic constraints that hinder the increase in production and productivity and the marketing of selected products. It will do so with a methodology to ensure gender inclusiveness, nutrition-sensitive agriculture and sustainable use of natural resources. Refugee inclusion and decent livelihood opportunities creation will be a key aspect of the project.

The incumbent will work full-time under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Ethiopia, the technical supervision of the Value Chain Coordinator. The purpose of this call is to identify qualified candidates that can contribute to the successful implementation of the FAO/UNHCR collaboration, with the range of technical and operational profiles/ specializations indicated below.

The objective is to generate analysis related to agricultural livelihoods and resilience in Somali Region refugee hosting areas to inform evidence-based programming, advocacy and decision-making. The planning and execution of agricultural value chain assessment of key commodities in consultation with the regional government of both regions and their agricultural bureaus as part of a value chain and market assessment of all the refuge-hosting areas of Ethiopia.

• Assist the National Value Chain Coordinator carry out research and analyze technical, social, economic, environmental, institutional, and technology related information, data and statistics and/or related policy issues to support the delivery of the projects;
• Explore what feasible agro-based commodities has potential for growth, and develop value chain studies and feasibility plans for the strategic agricultural commodities from the Somali block in consultation with the UNHCR counterpart and relevant GoE institutions
• Support the National Value Chain Coordinator to collect variety of technical information, data, statistics and reports from the Somali regional block and its strategic agricultural commodities in consultation with the UNHCR counterpart and relevant GoE institutions.
• Assist National Value Chain Coordinator in monitoring work plans in accordance to the project objectives, and in preparation of reports in accordance with FAO and donor’s requirements;
• Provide required assistance to the National Value Chain Coordinator for close collaboration with the Somali Regional Government institutions (in particular at regional/zone/woreda level) and with development partners;
• Maintain close communication with other project consultants to ensure that all components and activities are interlinked.
• Perform other related duties as required

Minimum Requirements:

• Candidates should be national of Ethiopia;
• University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in agronomy, agricultural development, economics or development related fields;
• Minimum five years of experience in agriculture, agribusiness, value chain development and livelihoods;
• Excellent English and Amharic oral and written communication skills. Knowledge of Somali language is required;

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building effective relationships
• Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Open to change and ability to manage complexity
• Ability to work and act under pressure and with discretion in a multicultural environment
• Capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a high-pressure environment
• Working experience at regional and field levels
• Working knowledge and experience in monitoring and evaluation
• Demonstrated competence to support institutional capacity building processes
• Demonstrated ability to liaise with multiple UN, NGOs, governmental, and media agencies
• Relevant understanding and experience in institutional mainstreaming, institutional change and institutional reform
• Strong communication, writing and presentation skills in English

• Experience in value chain development
• Practical experience in planning, managing and executing complex projects
• Knowledge and experience working with Bureau of Agriculture and/or Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources;
• Breadth of coordination experience and demonstrated ability to prepare work plans, budgets and report
• Relevant experience in awareness raising and capacity building for disaster risk management;
• Knowledge of UN and/or EU procedures will be an advantage
• Relevant experience in value chain analysis and interventions with strong linkages to market and livelihoods creation;
• Relevant experience in assessing and developing agricultural value chains and markets;
• Strong experience in planning, implementation, and reporting to ensure the timely delivery of project activities in line with the predesigned schedule;
• Work experience in Somali is preferred;
• Good interpersonal skills, team-work attitude and capacity to deal effectively with partners on day-to-day task and sensitive issues;
• Computer proficiency (MS Office package, internet, emails, etc.).