Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, October 17, 2019 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Value Chain and Livelihoods Officer
Rutsiro, Rwanda
Full-time
Contract type: National employment contract
Company Description
SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization, working in Agriculture, Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term, local presence in more than 30 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors works with local partners to equip communities, businesses, and organizations with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.
Project Background
The Landscape Restoration and Integrated Water Resources Management Project is a 3-year project funded by the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Kigali. The overall project is led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and SNV is leading the agriculture markets component of the Project in Sebeya and other catchments of Western Rwanda.
The project will implement activities to restore the Sebeya catchment using landscape approach through institutional capacity strengthening; village-based land use planning and action implementation; engaging with the private sector for market access; developing livelihood alternatives; and scaling up community-based approaches for restoration. The government of Rwanda is a major player in this project as they facilitate investment fund to enable action on the ground while the technical assistance will be provided by IUCN and SNV subsequently.
Job Description
Sustainable landscapes in Rwanda very much depend on efficient land-use planning and sustainable land management practices on agriculture lands. There is a close link between restoration and agriculture. The Value Chain Officer will support the sustainability of the agriculture sector which is dependent on robust business development services that contribute to the creation of effective and efficient value chains and vibrant sustainable inputs and outputs markets. He/she will be responsible to provide operational support to the achievement of the Landscape Restoration while improving sustainable livelihoods in remote areas of Rwanda and at the same time fostering marketing systems and strengthening linkages between the industry players.
He or she will be working within a multi-disciplinary team, and diverse partners including; direct link with Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority (RWFA), Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and various NGOs, districts and communities to support market-oriented approaches. The Value Chain Officer plays a technical role towards the coordination of activities by value chain actors such as project partners, district authorities, private sector companies, traders, input dealers, local CSO’s and farmer groups. .

Key Responsibilities
Operationalize overall enterprise and marketing development strategy; encompass market led/value chain development approach to be integrated in all outcome areas to
• Link the project with the SNV led HortInvest Project and other relevant initiatives in making connections with farmers to facilitate market connections.
• Unlock growth; increase productivity, employment, and income
• Enhance innovation, adoption, and uptake of technologies that enhance productivity and value of products.
• Embed socio-economic and environmental sustainability in the livelihood activities
• Stimulate investments in agricultural value chains opportunities
Under the supervision of the Agribusiness Advisor; facilitate the development of commercial/business linkages.
• Utilize existing market linkages developed by the HortInvest project to facilitate market linkages to LR project farmers.
• Identify new opportunities for business linkages between producers, and lead buyers to support access to and participation in high-value markets.
• Facilitate linkages to service providers including financial services.
• Support linkage to relevant technologies/extension services that improve productivity and value addition.
Contribute to designing a strategy to strengthen linkages between stakeholders - governments’ representatives and the private sector.
• Maintain working relations with relevant government line ministries and private sector/research institutions to coordinate the adoption and uptake of innovations and/or approaches in irrigation agriculture development, Climate resilient agriculture and sustainable soil and land management.
Infuse commercial orientation in projects activities and undertakings;
• Support identification of market-led / sustainable agro-based economic opportunities and assist in understanding and implementation of demand-driven, commercialization approach to rural development based on access to markets.
• Support building capacity of value chain actors through training, mentorship, and coaching in basic business skills.
Facilitate, identify and maintain strong partnerships with private sector organizations, cooperatives partners through value chain platforms including;
• Workshops in agricultural marketing issues
• Field days’ / market fares / exhibitions
Contribute to the formulation and delivery of training modules for project staff related to the key decision-making tools for market analysis and program intervention design, including:
• Value chain analysis
• Participatory needs assessment
• Participatory action planning
• Sub-sector analysis.
Provide support to the Agribusiness Advisor to develop, oversee and review project strategy and activities related to the implementation of the project according to the project proposal.
Contribute to project monitoring reporting and learning within the specified timelines.
Any other duty that may be assigned by the Agribusiness Advisor from time to time.

Job Skills: Not Specified

Qualifications
• The ideal candidate has strong abilities in agronomy, agricultural markets and value chain development, business planning, understands market system change, is flexible, self-initiative. The position requires frequent field travel by motorcycle vehicle.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as agriculture economics, business administration, public administration, agriculture policy.
• At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in value chain development and market access related, and/or analysis/research of agribusiness and/or socio-economic development projects.
• Practical experience supporting the development of farmers’ and farmers’ enterprises.
• Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial institutions, exporters, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers or processors)
• An understanding of climate-smart agriculture principles is preferred.
• Fluency in English.
Additional Information
• Location: Under the overall guidance of the project Agribusiness Advisor, the Value Chain and Livelihoods Advisor will be based in Rutsiro District Center with frequent travel to Ngororeo, Rubavu, and Nyabihu.
• Desired start date: November 1, 2019

Job Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree
Job Experience Requirements: 5 years

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Job application procedure
Please submit your application via Smart Recruiters attaching an application letter and a CV that contains three referees in English before October 20, 2019, citing the position title as reference.
NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

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