Value Chain Officers – NOURISH Project (8 positions: 2 responsible for each of the sorghum, sunflower, common bean, and vegetable value chains)

SNV is a mission-driven global development partner working in more than 20 countries across Africa and Asia. Building on 60 years of experience and together with our team of over 1,600 people, we strengthen capacities and catalyze partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems, which enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all. Grounded in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we work on the core themes of gender equality and social inclusion, climate adaptation and mitigation, and strong institutions and effective governance.

Background: NOURISH Tanzania

‘Empowering Smallholder Farmers for Food Security and Climate Resilience’ (NOURISH Tanzania) aims to achieve resilient food security for smallholder farmer households in key regions of Tanzania.
Tanzanian SHF households heavily dependent on agriculture face significant food insecurity and nutrition challenges. SHFs have low productivity due to poor quality seed, limited and variable rainfall, poor extension services, and limited access to markets. Lack of knowledge of nutritional requirements and how to meet them, exacerbated by gender inequalities, affects household nutrition.

• The project focuses on two geographic areas, both of which experience food insecurity and malnutrition, but which are distinctly different: the central-northern zone (Singida, Dodoma, Manyara) which suffers from acute food insecurity, and the Southern Highlands (Songwe, Rukwa) which faces chronic malnutrition. The project targets 168,000 SHFs and 100 MSMEs and farm organizations, with special emphasis on vulnerable SHFs. With a focus on four high-potential value chains (sorghum, sunflower, common bean, and vegetables), the project will tackle barriers to SHF food security through three interconnected outcome pathways:

1. Increased productivity: strengthening SHF climate-smart agricultural knowledge, skills, and access to inputs and finance.
2. Increased and diversified food supply to local markets: fostering collaborations among market actors, promoting digital solutions, and empowering SHFs and MSMEs.
3. Improved utilization of household resources to provide nutritious and diverse food: promoting nutritious diets, household food budgeting, and enabling women to have greater influence in HH decisions.

SNV is leading a consortium together with Farm Africa, and partners with five local organizations including two local CSOs. The partners have significant experience in climate-resilient agriculture, nutrition, digital technology applications, and GESI. The project’s total budget is NOK 200 million over five years and is funded by Norad.

Purpose of the role

The NOURISH Project Value Chain Officers play essential stakeholder collaboration and field delivery roles for four complex value chain interventions (sorghum, sunflower, common bean, and vegetable value chains). The roles are responsible for the planning, implementation, and reporting of specific value chain activities to enhance smallholder farmer (SHF) seed availability and uptake, SHF access to finance, SHF capacity to manage climate-smart agriculture and post-harvest loss, SHF-private sector inputs and market linkages, and MSME technical and business capacity. Key responsibilities will relate to the mapping, registering, and on boarding of potential value chain actors; conducting capacity needs assessments, developing and delivering customized capacity development activities; undertaking field-level farmer outreach and mobilization; and convening B2B meetings and brokering partnerships. Value Chain Officers will collaborate closely with the two CSO partners as well as many private and public sector actors.

The eight successful candidates will have a track record in successful value chain intervention delivery, involving aspects of planning, stakeholder collaboration, activity implementation, team collaboration, monitoring, and reporting. They will have relevant knowledge and experience of agriculture in Tanzania, the specific value chains, and practical experience gained from working within either the private sector, the public sector, or a development organization.

Key Responsibilities

Project implementation:

• Plan and facilitate the field-level activities needed to ensure all value chain activities are effectively achieved across two geographies, in collaboration with CSO partners and other actors, to include:
  • Stimulate the improved seed market and make seeds more available to SHFs:
    • Capacity building in seed production, handling, storage and distribution.
    • Formalise collaborative seed partnerships between SHFs and private sector.
    • Facilitate access to finance for farmers.
    • Foster seed distribution and sale partnerships (SHFs, cooperatives and agro-dealers).
  • Create value chain linkages to build SHF capacity in CSA and PHL, and access technologies:
    • Provide TA to support demonstration plots, Farmer Field Schools and agro-fairs.
    • Promote the use of radio, social media and phone applications to increase outreach.
    • Build the agronomic capacities of private input/offtake outreach schemes and public-private models involving local government extension.
  • Facilitate the empowerment of SHFs to influence the establishment of agreements between SHFs/cooperatives and the private sector to improve input supply and market linkages:
    • Formalise collaborative arrangements between SHFs and private sector, including buyers, aggregators, processors, input distributors and financial services.
    • Strengthen SHF organisations/cooperatives (farming/business skills and formalization).
    • Provide TA and monitoring of communication mechanisms.
    • Provide TA to private input/offtake outreach schemes to ensure SHF benefits.
  • Facilitate enhancement and marketing of integrated digital services for SHFs:
    • Enable farmer profiling and sensitization.
    • Enrol SHFs and market actors (MSMEs, suppliers, service providers, off-takers).
  • Link MSMEs to business development services for capacity development:
    • Provide TA to independent business development and financial services.
    • Design MSME screening, selection and other business development tools.
    • Broker relationships between MSMEs, business development & financial services.
    • Promote the diversification of crop uses to ensure multiple markets for trade.
• Support the team with preparatory field activities including GESI-responsive analysis, selection of improved varieties and value chain actors for targeted initiatives, formulation of capacity-building material as relevant, and participatory planning with government and other actors.

Monitoring and reporting:

• Support the Value Chain team and MEL Coordinator to ensure data collection tools are aligned to project’s M&E activity plan and indicators, to acquire good quality data collection, and perform regular monitoring.
• Provide information for work plans, field reports, quarterly reports and donor reports in the agreed format and according to organisational deadlines.
• With support from the Communications Officer and MEL Coordinator, participate in community feedback sessions and document case studies and lessons for improving project delivery.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline such as agriculture, agronomy, agribusiness, horticulture, rural development or entrepreneurship.
• Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience in at least one of the value chains (sorghum, sunflower, common bean or vegetables), with knowledge of the agriculture sector in Tanzania.
• Experience in project management, planning and implementation.
• Practical experience and knowledge around organisational capacity assessment.
• Knowledge of farmers’ needs, input supply, aggregated marketing, B2B linkages, post-harvest handling and storage, advisory services/good agricultural practices and value addition.
• Understanding of nutrition, climate, and gender-sensitive approaches for smallholder farmers.
• Proficiency in both written and spoken English and Kiswahili.
• Computer literacy (Word and Excel).
• Experience and skills in field data collection, verification, analysis, and report writing.

Desired attributes:

• Passion for working with smallholder farmers and MSMEs in the specific value chain.
• Able to work with diverse stakeholders in a collegiate manner.
• Self-aware, possessing high levels of emotional intelligence and respect for staff, colleagues, and partners.
• Highly motivated self-starter, with strong organisational skills, who takes individual accountability seriously.
• Result-oriented with an entrepreneurial, curious, innovative, and adaptive mindset for problem-solving.
• Excellent social and communication skills (written and oral), as well as reporting skills.
• Commitment to continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of SNV and Farm Africa.
• Ability to undertake unaccompanied travel and operate in remote areas.

• Location: Dodoma or Sumbawanga with regular field travel (60%)
• Reports to: Value Chain Coordinator, NOURISH Project
• Contract duration: 2 years, with possibility of extension

How to Apply

Submit your application on or before 5 pm EAT on Friday, 20th February 2024, if you wish to be considered for this position. All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.  We will revert to you as soon as feasible when we have reviewed your application, though due to the expected high number of applications only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Submit a CV (no more than 3 pages); a motivation letter detailing your interest, suitability, current/previous & expected salary for the role (no more than 1 page);

Working at SNV

SNV offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. We offer a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from, and contribute to, an internal global network of experts across sectors. For more information, please visit our website: www.snv.org

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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