African Development Bank (AfDB) -  the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries).  

POSITION : Principal Agro-Industry/Investment Officer, AHAI.1

Description

Within the context of the Bank’s High 5’s vision for Africa’s long-term economic transformation, the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department (AHAI) provides support for the delivery of the Bank’s Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025.

The Bank also has an Agriculture, Finance and Rural Development Department (AHFR).

The Feed Africa Strategy aims to end hunger and rural poverty in the next decade through self-sufficiency in eighteen (18) priority commodity value chains specific to the continent’s agro-ecological zones. Realizing the objectives set forth in the Strategy requires increased productivity; value addition; investment in infrastructure; an enabling agribusiness environment; capital flows; and inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition.

The Department leads the effort to transform African agricultural systems for greater competitiveness, inclusivity and sustainability, and for enhanced job creation and poverty reduction in Bank Group Regional Member Countries. Feed Africa’s many Flagships include the ENABLE Youth initiative, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), Agropoles and Agro-Processing Zones, Post-harvest Loss Reduction and Agricultural Value Addition, Blue Economy, Risk Sharing and Finance Mechanisms (RSFM), and Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA).

The Position

• The Principal Agribusiness Development/Investment Officer will provide technical support to the development and implementation of projects within the flagship programmes under the Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy and High Fives vision for Africa’s economic transformation such as the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), ENABLE Youth, Postharvest Loss Reduction, etc. He/She will also work with the Flagship Coordinators in both AHAI and AHFR.
• The principal Agribusiness Development/Investment Officer works across technical, geographic and institutional boundaries to support the delivery of development solutions for a diverse set of clients in the rural (and urban) space and in the public and private sectors in line with the agricultural development, agribusiness and agro-Industry agenda of the AfDB Group.  By means of a value-chain approach, he/she will support the implementation of this agenda in AfDB Regional Member Countries (RMCs), with specific focus on providing technical input for the design, and supervision of projects which:
• Promote value chain development, value addition and primary and secondary processing of crops and livestock;
• Catalyze private sector entry and growth in African agribusiness;
• Promote agri-SME growth and the commercialization of agriculture, particularly addressing access to finance needs;
• Create farm to fork market linkages;
• Facilitate the development of agro-poles and agro-processing hubs;
• Support the development of an agribusiness enabling environment;
• Invest in hard infrastructure (including roads, markets and irrigation), soft infrastructure; (human capital, i.e., trained potential employees, ICT, etc.), and enabling policies and reforms, for transformation of African agriculture into viable, profitable businesses; and
• The principal Agribusiness development Officer will work closely with private sector experts at the Bank to scale up investments in agribusiness and will design and coordinate the delivery of client solutions and all project management aspects of the deployment of such solutions.

Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Manager, Agribusiness Development Division and working closely with Task Managers in the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, in the Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department, in the Financial Sector Development, in Private Sector Development, Industry and Trade Development Departments, with the Director Generals and other Directors, and with external stakeholders, the Principal Agribusiness Development/Investment Officer’s role includes but is not limited to the following:

• Identify and select consultants to support the work of the Bank in the area of agribusiness and agro-industries (e.g. studies, missions, etc.) and supervise the technical aspects of their work.
• Ascertain good performance of operations through regular, complete and adequate supervision of portfolio operations, technical guidance and training for borrowers on the Bank’s fiduciary policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with other Bank units in reviewing the performance of investment operations, preparing project completion reports, etc., so as to ensure that the lessons drawn from the implementation of past operations are taken into account in designing new projects.
• Undertake any other duties as may be assigned by the Division Manager, AHAI.1.
• Assist the Department of Agriculture and Agro-Industry in the analysis of key agro-industrial issues facing Africa and the Bank, and contribute to efforts to formulate the Bank’s strategy relating to the major aspects of agro-industrial development of the African continent with special focus on post-harvest losses.
• Undertake analysis and sector studies to orient the Bank’s strategy of intervention in the area of agribusiness and agro-industries for development of African countries.
• Contribute with technical inputs to Bank Group’s operational activities relating to agro-industrial development, through the review of the technical design and institutional arrangements for agricultural projects/programmes proposed for Bank’s funding.
• Contribute to designing private sector and non-sovereign operations, including those involving public private partnerships (PPP).
• Source, structure and provide advisory for private sector agribusiness transactions.
• Support value chain strengthening through structured finance in syndicate deals with commercial banks and other creditors (agricultural finance and innovative financing).
• Contribute towards building a pipeline of bankable projects for the Bank’s private sector operations in the sector, particularly identifying entry points for private investments in public sector transactions.
• In relation to the Bank’s country and regional operations strategies, identify, prepare and appraise agro-industrial sub-sector operations with focus on post-harvest losses reduction to be submitted for Bank financing.
• Ensure that agro-business and agro-industrial development opportunities/challenges with special focus on post-harvest losses are taken into account in the formulation and implementation of agriculture projects; and ensure effective coordination with Field Offices and other Departments of the Bank to ensure consistent mainstreaming of these areas in other programmes of the Bank and national-regional programmes.
• Set up and maintain strategic collaboration with relevant partners in the area of agribusiness, agro-industries and post-harvest losses reduction.
• Support initiatives in projects and programmes aimed at key flagship initiatives of the department such as post-harvest losses and agro-processing, Enable Youth, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation, Blue Economy, etc.
• Organize agribusiness development seminars and draft reports to be presented at these seminars, and represent the Bank in those areas at regional and international fora.

Selection Criteria

• Hold at least a Master's Degree or its equivalent in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Agricultural Economics, Food Science/Technology, or related social science disciplines, or closely related disciplines.
• 6 years of relevant progressive experience in a private agribusiness company, an internationally recognized financial or development institution.
• Extended and relevant experience in project formulation and technical backstopping.
• Ability to work in a team and work in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to work effectively in partnership with clients and seek feedback to improve work processes.
• Communicate verbally and write effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competences in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is desirable.
• Knowledge of agro-industry and agribusiness concepts and challenges facing the African continent.
• Capacity to analyze trends, constraints, policies, institutions and provide technical support to related agribusiness and agro-industries sectors.
• Ability to design appropriated agro-industry programmes for solving issues in the sector.
• Ability to identify the appropriate methods and techniques to conduct economic studies and ably present the results.