Farm Africa, founded in 1985, is an international non-governmental organization working in Ethiopia since 1988. Farm Africa works to end hunger and bring prosperity to rural Africa. We believe Africa has the power to feed itself and are helping make this happen by establishing and spreading the best farming and forestry techniques so that poor farmers and herders have more food to feed their families and to sell. We help smallholders manage their natural resources sustainably so that they can withstand climate change challenges and shocks and ensure their families have enough food in the future as well as now. Farm Africa works in partnership with communities, government, local and international organizations, and the private sector to innovate, learn and share best practices for maximum impact of our projects.
PROJECT: Integrated approach to improving rural livelihoods, empowering communities and
partners
REPORTS TO: Project Coordinator
STAFF REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None
DURATION & HOURS: Three years with probation period of 45 days
BACKGROUND
Farm Africa will be implementing a project titled ‘Integrated approach to improve rural livelihoods, empowering communities and partners programme’ which is funded by SIDA (The Swedish International Development Agency). This project will be implemented by Farm Africa and the Union of Ethiopian Women Charitable Associations (UEWCA).
The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to achievement of the Ethiopia's Growth and Transformation Plan II (GTPII) through agriculture business development, capacity building in project implementation and delivery, civil society strengthening and embedding climate smart practices in identified development interventions. This overarching programme is divided into three key projects:
The programme will operate in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNPRS, Somali and Beneshangul Gumuz Regional states and Addis Ababa City Administration. Farm Africa will take a lead role for the programme implementation, quality assurance, technical backstopping, monitoring and evaluation, partner management and donor reporting.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
The SME Finance Service Specialist is responsible to support the CSA and market led project by delivering market engagement activities and provision of capacity building trainings, technical assistance and advice in the areas of SME and Financial Service development of Project 3, that is, to cultivate climate-smart focused agricultural value chains and agribusinesses to empower small holder famers in SNNPR.. This is anticipated as including development of innovative market linkages, capacity building of actors in the value chain, support to MFIs as well as establishing and supporting VSLAs.
The SME Finance Service Specialist will work closely with the project field team and provide relevant capacity building and technical assistance to (i) project partners in implementing project interventions; and (ii) encourage active participation of and networking between individuals and communities in recognizing market and finance problems, identifying solutions and implementing project activities related to the identified solutions.
The post holder will also build capacities of communities and institutions in markets and finance. She/he will work closely with community facilitators, community leaders, committees and local government development agents. She/he takes part in community meetings for information gathering, exchange and carries out participatory planning supporting field implementation. She/he is responsible for advice around innovative market and finance based solutions and how to link these to sustainable NRM. As part of this she/he will work to ensure the establishment of effective linkage between all relevant partners.
KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
PERSON SPECIFICATIONS
Essential
Education, Qualifications & other knowledge
Experience
Skills & Abilities
Desirable
Education, Qualifications & other knowledge
Experience
Skills & Abilities
VALUES
Farm Africa seeks to employ those who believe, as we do, that farmers can and will play a key role in achieving long-term rural prosperity in Africa and who seek to deliver on those beliefs by: