Youth Agribusiness Advisor

Job Description

Background

AGRA is a proudly African-led institution focused on scaling agricultural innovations that help smallholder farmers towards increased incomes, better livelihoods, and improved food security. We understand that African farmers need uniquely African solutions to the environmental and agricultural challenges they face, enabling them to sustainably boost production and gain access to rapidly growing agricultural markets. In short, AGRA’s mission is to transform the lives of smallholder farmers from that of a solitary struggle for survival to a business that thrives.

Since 2006, we have worked with our partners, governments, non-governmental organizations, private sector businesses, and more; to deliver a set of proven solutions to smallholder farmers and indigenous African agricultural enterprises. We put smallholder farmers first on the agenda, recognizing that no country has moved from low income to middle income without agricultural transformation.

Objective of the Assignment

The Youth Agribusiness Advisor for EAC will provide technical leadership and guidance for youth in agriculture interventions at the EAC Secretariat. This position will be in the form of a one-year consultancy with a possibility for renewal based on performance and availability of funds.

Scope of work

i. Provide technical leadership and guidance to youth related to agriculture and food security interventions and initiatives at the EAC Secretariat, ensuring that interventions are high quality and evidence-based;

ii. Support the EAC to provide an overarching vision and workplan for the youth in agriculture interventions at the secretariat in collaboration with the director agriculture and food security, other staff at the division, development partners and other key stakeholders at the regional levels;

iii. In collaboration with head of agriculture department, develop annual implementation plans for youth related interventions consistent with departmental goals and objectives;

iv. Design and implement regional level evidenced-based interventions to build the technical and life skills of young people and link them to resources and economic opportunities, including access to finance. Interventions should be gender sensitive/transformative, align with positive youth development, and emphasize participatory and youth-led approaches;

v. Work with various EAC partners to design interventions to build technical capacity of young people in the regions working in collaboration with youth networks;

vi. Develop and implement capacity strengthening plans for youth in agribusiness. Develop tools and guides to facilitate knowledge transfer. Provide technical training and support;

vii. Provide technical leadership to EAC in designing and implementing mechanisms to coordinate activities of actors supporting youth in agribusiness at the regional level within the EAC region, these actors the public sectors, private sector, civil society, community-based organizations, youth and women networks, and development partners;

viii. Support continuous youth in agriculture program learning and ensure integration of measurement, monitoring and evaluation data/processes into management decision-making and policy advocacy;

ix. Produce effective written reports and oral presentations on the youth related interventions, including preparing periodic reports, providing updates on challenges facing the project, and articulating the project’s success in meeting deliverables;

x. Contribute to the conception and implementation of specific programmes and projects geared towards the development and empowerment of the youth in the EAC;

xi. Lead resource mobilization efforts to mobilize resources for financing of youth projects and enterprises at the EAC level. This activity will also involve setting up and implementation of the online crowd-funding platform for the financing of youth projects and enterprises;

xii. Research, analyze and follow up national, regional, and international texts and instruments relating to youth in agribusiness, and submit regular reports to the Director for social and productive sector;

xiii. Work in collaboration with the EAC Partner States to monitor structures, organisations and youth in agribusiness associations in existence at national and regional levels and produce an online database with such information to facilitate easy access in agriculture related interventions;

xiv. Support EAC Partner States to set up a comprehensive database of young people who participate in agriculture and agri-food systems interventions;

xv. Identify and follow up partners for the financing of the youth in agribusiness interventions in EAC, as well as policies and initiatives to be implemented at the international level to benefit EAC Youth;

xvi. Drive initiatives of the EAC to form strategic partnerships with the private sector through Public Private Partnership engagements including developing strategic partnerships with African Philanthropists to support the implementation of key agriculture development initiatives at a regional level;

xvii. Support engagement of EAC with the private sector to accelerate digital adoption and reduce the costs of cross-border trading and production;

xviii. Perform any other task related to the promotion of EAC Youth in agribusiness as may be required by EAC policy organs.

xix. Perform any other task related to the promotion of EAC Youth in agribusiness as may be required by EAC policy organs.

Deliverables of the Assignment

The following deliverables are envisioned under this consultancy:

1. Power point presentation in an inception meeting organized by AGRA and the EAC. 2
2. Inception report (Max 15 pages): an inception report incorporating details of the consultants vision for the role and a tentative work plan for discussion with the EAC and AGRA.
3. Two regular documents each month (monthly workplans and progress reports). Monthly work plan developed in collaboration with the supervisors at EAC and AGRA indicating planned activities for the following month. Monthly progress report reports should indicate which aspects of the consultant scope of work were prioritized in the reporting period, deliverables produced and emerging outcomes and lessons.
4. A framework to guide youth in agriculture interventions at the secretariat prepared in collaboration with the directorate of agriculture and food security, other relevant departments at the EAC.
5. Annual implementation plans for youth related interventions consistent with departmental goals and objectives.
6. At least two project proposals for evidenced-based interventions to build the technical and life skills of young people and link them to resources and economic opportunities, including access to finance. Interventions should be gender sensitive/transformative, align with positive youth development, and emphasize participatory and youth-led approaches.
7. A capacity strengthening plan for youth in agribusiness in the EAC region developed and partially implemented. The plan should be based on the Institutional Capacity Needs assessment supported by AGRA.
8. Evidence of existence of active mechanism for coordination of actors supporting youth in agribusiness at the regional level within the EAC region, these actors the public sectors, private sector, civil society, community-based organizations, youth and women networks, and development partners.
9. Learning and knowledge management products to facilitate continuous youth in agriculture program learning.
10. Written reports and oral presentations on the youth related interventions in the EAC region, including periodic reports, providing updates on challenges facing the project, and articulating the project’s success in meeting deliverables.

Key qualifications and experience required

The required consultant should have the following attributes:

a) Education:

A minimum of Masters’ degree in the Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Youth international development, Development Studies or related discipline.

b) Required Relevant Experience:

• Eight years of relevant experience leading agriculture projects/programs focused on youth, economic empowerment, livelihoods, access to finance, and/or private sector development.
• Experience of work in economic development, value chain development, agro- industrialization policy and SME Development
• Demonstrated experience of engaging with high-level government officials, representatives of the private sector, regional financial institutions including development banks and development partners.
• At least eight years of experience with private sector development and facilitation of public-private partnerships, preferably in the international development context;
• Substantive knowledge and experience in working as part of a donor-funded project to facilitate partnerships with the private and public sector stakeholders;
• Professional connections and extensive private sector network in various industries;
• Good knowledge of the socio-economic situation of the EAC region
• Technical leadership experience on youth development programs funded by development partners such as the Master Card Foundation, FAO, USAID, and the World Bank.
• Strong understanding of best practices in youth programming, including Positive Youth Development, and familiarity with African Agribusiness Youth Strategy.
• Good knowledge and experience on how to mobilize technical and financial resources to finance youthrelated projects
• Experience working with a regional or international organization would be an advantage.
• Experience cultivating relationships and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders including youth, government ministries and officials, NGOs, donors, the private sector, and community-based institutions, preferably in a country in the EAC region.
• Knowledge of life skills and its integration into comprehensive skills building programs for youth.
• Strong analytical, report writing, and communication skills.
• Excellent computer skills using MS Office products including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.