Agribusiness Development Officer

Lutheran World Federation; Roma; In loco; EUR 35.000 - 50.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

A renowned humanitarian organization is seeking an Agribusiness Development Officer to facilitate market linkages and support agribusiness initiatives for youth and women. This role aims to create employment opportunities in both refugee and host communities, emphasizing on strengthening market systems and empowering smallholder farmers. Applicants should possess a Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness or a related field, alongside significant experience in agribusiness and market system development. The position is based in Italy and offers a contract for 12 months.

Competenze

• Minimum 3 years of experience in agribusiness or market system development.
• Experience working with smallholder farmers and youth groups.
• Ability to facilitate partnerships and market linkages.

Mansioni

• Facilitate access to markets for youth and smallholder farmers.
• Enhance market information systems for better access.
• Provide capacity-building support to youth and women.

Conoscenze

Digital financial solutions knowledge

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Capacity-building skills

Formazione

Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness or related field

Master’s degree in relevant field

Strumenti

Market information systems

Digital trade platforms

Descrizione del lavoro

Join to apply for the Agribusiness Development Officer role at Lutheran World Federation

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world.

A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard‑to‑reach areas. Our work is people‑centered and community‑based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

LWF Uganda works closely with United Nations agencies (UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP), PRM, EU / ECHO, BFTW, etc., and its faith‑based partner agencies.

For additional information, please see www.lutheranworld.org / World%20Service.

Job Title

Agribusiness Development Officer

No. of Positions

Two (2)

Place of Assignment

Adjumani and Kiryandongo District

Reports To

AMS Project Manager

Starting Date

ASAP

Duration of Contract

12 months

Closing date for applications

18th January 2026

Job Summary

Under the supervision of the AMS Project Manager, the Agribusiness Development Officer will facilitate market linkages, support agribusiness initiatives, and create employment opportunities for youth and women in both refugee and host communities. The role involves developing partnerships, strengthening market systems, and ensuring the active participation of smallholder farmers (SHFs) in demand‑driven markets. The officer will play a critical role in reducing risks for market entrants, enhancing income opportunities, and building resilient agri‑food systems.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate access to markets by establishing strong relationships between youth, women, smallholder farmers and institutional buyers (e.g., WFP, PMO).
• Enhance digital trade platforms and market information systems to promote wider market access for SHFs, including digital solutions for record‑keeping and financial transactions.
• Develop models for village aggregation centres (VACs) with storage and warehousing facilities to facilitate group marketing and bulk selling.
• Provide capacity‑building support to SHFs, youth and women in commercial production sectors, financial linkages, bulking and collective marketing, financial planning and records.
• Strengthen the capacity of village savings and loan associations to operate efficiently and effectively.
• Facilitate skill development and short‑term training sessions for youth to improve marketable skills and link them with decent work opportunities in agriculture and agribusiness.
• Strengthen financial inclusion by linking youth to financial service providers for access to working capital and entrepreneurial support.
• Foster partnerships with financial institutions, buyers and cooperatives to enhance youth and women’s engagement in competitive agricultural markets.
• Strengthen the capacity of farmer groups (FGs) and farmer organisations (FOs) to promote collective marketing strategies and improve their negotiation power for better pricing.
• Facilitate the award and implementation of subsidy projects for youth groups to ease the movement of produce to markets.
• Provide continuous technical support to youth and farmer groups in business management, financial literacy and market access.
• Regularly monitor the implementation of market linkage activities and youth access to business development services to ensure quality and sustainability.
• Document and report progress, challenges and lessons learned to improve future interventions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture Enterprise Development, BSC Agriculture or a related field. A master’s degree is a plus.
• At least 3 years of experience in agribusiness, market system development projects (market linkages, private sector engagement, investment matchmaking for private sectors, or a related area).
• Strong knowledge of digital financial solutions (DFS), market information systems and digital trade platforms.
• Demonstrated experience working with smallholder farmers, youth groups and women in rural / agricultural contexts.
• Proven ability to facilitate partnerships and market linkages between SHFs and institutional buyers.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and capacity‑building skills.

Desired Competencies

• Experience in the agricultural sector within refugee or host community contexts.
• Familiarity with market dynamics in Uganda’s agricultural value chains, particularly with a focus on youth and women’s empowerment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within multi‑disciplinary teams.

LWF is an equal‑opportunity employer, irrespective of gender, race or religious affiliation. LWF is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for humanitarian agencies. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect the organization’s commitment to the prevention of abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries.

Only short‑listed candidates will be contacted.

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