Malawi - Farm Income Diversification Programme

The Farm Income Diversification Programm (FIDP II) purpose is to improve the livelihoods and nutritional status of rural households through increased and diversified production, and better market access.

The proposed contract will involve the provision of technical assistance for FIDP II mainly in the fields of agribusiness, nutrition and finance and grants management to support achievement of this purpose.

FIDP II seeks to address a number of problems:

1) to diversify and increase agricultural production

2) to promote income generation through agribusiness initiative with the involvement of the private sector

3) to improve FIDP farmer group management capacities

4) to improve FIDP farmer group social dynamics

5) to capacitate farmers and district level staff on nutrition issues.

The programme will be managed and implemented by the Department of Agricultural Extension Services (DAES) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, through a Programme Co-ordination Unit (PCU) as well as through Grants to be implemented by NSAs.

Qualifications: 

Key experts have a crucial role in implementing the contract. All key experts mobilised under this contract must have:

  • Excellent communication and analytical skills (written and spoken English)
  • Excellent skills in facilitating meetings, workshops and conferences
  • General computer literacy
  • Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team and engage with a wide variety of stakeholders

Qualifications and skills

  • The Team leader should possess a minimum of Master’s Degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Development Economics or Master of Business Administration or Applied agricultural marketing skills in a developing country context. Relevant additional degree(s) will be favoured.
  • Personal Effectiveness: excellent negotiation and mentoring skills in particular in a multicultural environment; understanding of the decentralised cooperation and its implications for programme management.
  • The Team Leader should demonstrate planning skills with proven evidence.

General professional experience

  • Minimum of 10 years’ experience covering expertise identified under specific professional experience.
  • Experience of multi-disciplinary and multi stakeholder rural development programmes operating within the public sector in developing countries.
  • Specific professional experience
  • Experience of facilitating development of smallholder farmer groups, association and/ or cooperatives with a marketing objective, including development of constitutions, management structures and business plans
  • Knowledge of rural programme finance management
  • Experience in applied marketing chain analysis
  • Familiarity with business practices and business related institutions in developing countries, preferably in Eastern and/or Southern Africa.
  • Experience in interaction with key agribusiness value chain players in developing countries
  • Experience in organisational analysis and business planning at different levels
  • Involvement at a senior level in successful examples of linking smallholder development programmes with the private sector, particularly with a marketing objective
  • Experience in capacity building of public officials in Agribusiness skills
  • Private sector experience in agricultural produce marketing in a developing country context will be an advantage
  • Experience in management of rural finance programmes will be an advantage
  • Knowledge of EU contract management procedures will be an advantage

Duration of the assignment: Indicative 750 working days

If you are interested in this project, please send your most recent CV to:

Barbara.Braun [at] afci.de

 

Thank you!

 

Please note that only shortlisted experts will be contacted