Agricultural Production & Trade Specialist

Job Level Specifications Essential Post Graduate Diploma in Agriculture & Rural innovations, Agri-business, Agricultural Extension & Rural Innovation. At least 5 years’ experience in Agricultural production, value chain development, or market systems development. Strong experience working with youth, women, refugees, and vulnerable groups. Demonstrated experience in collective marketing, farmer aggregation and private sector engagement. Desirable Knowledge of CSA, GAP, post-harvest handling, and quality standards. Strong facilitation, coordination, and reporting skills. Ability to work extensively in rural field settings. Youth Engagement in Agricultural Production Support facilitation of access to land for young women through block farming, tripartite land use arrangements, and partnerships with landowners, institutions, parents, and cultural leaders. Participate in dialogue meetings at district and community levels to agree on land access and land use arrangements. Promote sustainable land management practices including soil and water conservation, agroforestry, integrated pest management (IPM), and climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Strengthening Farmer Groups and Collective Action Support profiling, formation, and strengthening of young women farmer groups and secondary-level associations. Support group-based bulk input procurement, collective marketing, and demand aggregation models. Improving Access to Quality Inputs and Extension Services Support partnerships with private sector input suppliers to co-declusive last-mile input delivery models. Coordinate training on safe agrochemical use, handling, and storage for young women, agents, and PSA staff. Support certification and strengthening of village-based input agents and extension agents. Post-Harvest Handling, Value Addition and Quality Assurance Facilitate access to post-harvest handling (PHH) technologies, on-farm storage solutions, and best practices. Coordinate trainings on drying, storage, handling, processing, and value addition. Support establishment of aggregation points, quality testing, grading, and standardization systems. Support compliance with quality standards, traceability, and record-keeping requirements across value chains. Market Access, Trade and Agribusiness Development Support development of local market agents (VBAs) and strengthen linkages with off-takers, processors, and traders. Facilitate collective marketing, contract farming arrangements, warehouse receipt systems, and commodity exchange linkages. Support partnerships with agro-processors to increase off-take from young women producers. Documentation, Strategy Development, and Knowledge Management Lead documentation of program activities, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories across value chains. Develop and regularly update the sector implementation strategy in alignment with the ASTYE program objectives and district priorities. Support evidence-based planning through data analysis, learning