Regional Opportunity
Job Title : Agricultural Economist
Grade : P3
Division : Industry and Agriculture
Duty Station : Lusaka
Basic Salary Scale : COM$ 52, 217.96 – COM$ 64, 181.16 per annum.
Report to : Director of Industry and Agriculture
A. JOB PURPOSE
To provide technical backstop support in promoting initiatives to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen linkages between industry and agricultural value addition/agro-processing in order to improve and sustain food and nutrition security, and agro-product and commodity competitiveness in the COMESA region in line with COMESA Medium-Term Strategic Plan and Treaty.
B. MAIN DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Under the direct supervision of Director of Industry and Agriculture and the overall supervision of the Assistant Secretary General Programmes, the incumbent of the post will perform the following duties:
- Submits work plans and budget inputs for Agriculture programs in order to secure management’s approval for resources required to implement programmes aligned with the Division mandate;
- Provides technical advice in the development and harmonization of regional policies, strategies and regulations in order to enhance competitive Agri- food and commodities market access in the regional and international markets;
- Provides technical advice in the development and implementation of national agriculture and food and nutrition security investment plans to ensure achievement of food and nutrition security is aligned to Regional Agriculture Strategy;
- Drafts and submits inputs for development of bankable concept notes /project proposals in order to secure/gain management’s approval for potential donor/funding support required to implement agricultural development and food and nutrition security projects;
- Collaborates with relevant technical and strategic institutions in order to establish partnerships and leverage resources to support agricultural development and agro- industralisation in the region in line with international stands;
- Compiles report on the implementation of the agricultural programmes in order to inform management on achievements, challenges and opportunities and strategies to improve the sector performance;
- Keeps abreast with changes taking place in the agriculture and food systems and research into emerging issues, policies, innovations and technologies related to agriculture and food and nutrition security in order to ascertain their effects and inform agricultural development and food and nutrition security interventions in the region; and
- Performs any other job-related duties as assigned by the Supervisor from time to time.
C. MINIMUM ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
i. Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics or Agribusiness Management
ii. A Postgraduate qualification in any of the above fields will be an added advantage.
D. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Minimum eight (8) years working experience in sustainable agricultural value chains development, food and nutrition security and agricultural market development in the public and private sector settings with national and regional level exposures.
E. SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE:
- Agricultural Policy, Regulatory Development and Analysis, Agricultural Value Chains Development including Climate-Smart Agriculture, and Food and Nutrition Security;
- Market Access Development, Qualitative and Quantitative Economic Assessment Methodology;
- Development of project concept notes and proposals, Partnership Engagement; and
- Development, Programme Planning and Reporting.