Background
Sesame is an important agribusiness sector in Ethiopia. It is a priority crop in the Agricultural Growth Program (AGP). It has a significant turnover and more importantly, the sector has significant potential for further growth and development, both in terms of production and yield improvement, reduction of post-harvest losses, domestic value addition and in terms of market access and turnover.
The largest part of the Ethiopian sesame production and export originates from the lowlands in the North Western part of the country : KaftaHumera, Tsegede, Wolkayit, TahtayAdiyabo, Tselemti and AsgedeTsimbla woredas in Tigray Region and Metema, Quara, Tegede, Tach Armachiho, MirabArmachiho and Jawi woredas in Amhara Region.
The Sesame Business Network (SBN) is a largely informal innovation network that is driven by local entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, who work together with the aim to move forward in their respective sesame related business ventures.
The Netherlands Government, through its Embassy in Ethiopia, funds a support project called BENEFIT-SBN which allows for accompanying the sesame sector stakeholders to achieve their objectives. The BENEFIT-SBN project provides its support in the above mentioned 12 sesame producing woredas.
The objectives of the support project follow the (economic) objectives of the members of the SBN. Research, extension training and facilitation services are supportive to SBN member initiatives, which in turn are linked to clear economic objectives of the participating stakeholders. Capacity and innovation development, in combination with knowledge sharing and learning, support the effective development and uptake of innovations to address identified challenges.
For more information on the Sesame Business Network and Benefit-SBN, visit: www.sbnethiopia.org
Duties and responsibilities:
The overall tasks of the agro-economics coach is to contribute to the strengthening of entrepreneurial capacities of farmers and their cooperatives, to help improve the rural finance system and to promote innovations at the market side for the development of competitive, sustainable and inclusive sesame value chains. Local business development, strengthening of cooperatives and facilitating and improving relations between farmers and financial institutions are among the key words that are associated to this position.
The agro-economics coach works in a team of coaches that also consist of agronomic and training-extension-communication coaches. All coaches, irrespective of their professional background, have the following general tasks:
Specific responsibilities and duties of the value chain and business development specialist in the coaching team include:
Action research and information management
Market information, business development and facilitation of business relations
Rural finance
Farmer entrepreneurship
Cooperative governance and business development
Training and coaching
Place of work: Gondar;Gondar Agricultural Research Centre. The position will involve frequent field travel to six woredas in Amhara region in the North West of Ethiopia.
Qualifications and experience required:
He/she: