Value Chain Development Officers

JOB DESCREPTION

Job Position: Value Chain Development Officers

Organization: Farmers Union of Malawi

Location: Zomba, Machinga, Ntcheu, Salima, Lilongwe, Dowa, Mzimba,

Rumphi, Nkhatabay, Mchinji

Reports to: Programme Manager

BACKGROUND

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has collaborated with AGRA – Malawi to create decent

economic and job opportunities for youths in Malawi through youth agriprenuership

development. Through this collaboration, FUM is implementing a 3-year High Value

Agriculture for Accelerated Youth Agripreneurship (HIVA) Project. The HIVA project is

part of the AGRA’s YEFFA Programme and has an overall goal of creating work

opportunities for 150,000 young women and men in high-potential value chains of

Horticulture, Poultry, and Honey by 2028. To achieve this ambitious target, FUM would

therefore like to recruit passionate and results-driven professionals to work as Value

Chain Development Officers for the project.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Value Chain Development Officers will act as catalysts for developing business and

entrepreneurial capacities of the targeted youth Agripreneurs to get into viable and

bankable ventures around the targeted value chains of Poultry, Honey and Horticulture.

In particular, the Officers will be responsible for identifying, motivating and registering the

targeted youths, identifying constraints within specific value chains, building the

capacities of the targeted youths to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability,

facilitate market linkages and facilitate strategic partnerships with the private sector.

SPECIFIC ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Value Chain Development Officers will have the have the following specific roles and

responsibilities:

Identification and Registration of motivated youths to participate in the project:

Collaborate with the District Agriculture Offices, District Youth Officers and other

stakeholders in the targeted districts to identify, motivate and register well motivated

youths for the programme

Value Chain Analysis & Development: Conduct mapping and analysis of selected

agricultural value chains in the targeted districts to identify gaps, inefficiencies, and

opportunities for intervention.

Youth Agriprenuership Support: Collaborate with Practicing Youth Agriprenuers and

other relevant stakeholders to provide direct technical support and mentorship to the

targeted youth Agriprenuers, helping them with pre-requisite practical technical,

entrepreneurial and mindset change knowledge to venture into Poultry, Honey and

Horticulture enterprises and ensure that the youth are gainfully earning an income higher

than minimum wage and are motivated to continue engaging in agriculture

Private Sector Engagement: Proactively identify, engage, and build strong, mutually

beneficial relationships with agribusinesses, processors, retailers, financial institutions,

and other private sector actors to build synergies with the private sector activities in the

targeted districts

Networking & Partnership Building: Represent FUM and the project at relevant districts

forums and actively build a robust network of stakeholders, including government MDAs,

NGOs, private sector players, and other relevant institutions.

Project Implementation: Lead implementation of project activities in the district ensuring

that targets of youth in work are met on time and within budget, timely collection of project

M&E data, timely reporting, and effective coordination of project mission visits

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The prospective Value Chain Development Officers should have the following

qualifications and experience:

i. A Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness,

Development Studies, Rural Development or a related field from a reputable

university

ii. A minimum of 3 years of proven working experience in value chain development,

agricultural development, or development of youth agriprenuership models;

iii. Technical Expertise in at least one of the following value chains – horticulture,

poultry, beekeeping, soyabeans, groundnuts, maize and rice. Multiple expertise

will have an added advantage

iv. Demonstrable experience in engaging and collaborating with the private sector to

develop business models and market linkages;

v. Direct experience in working with youths in agriprenuership or enterprise

development;

vi. Strong training facilitation skills with experience in developing curricula and

delivering engaging workshops;

vii. Excellent networking, negotiation, and interpersonal abilities, with a talent for

building trust and fostering collaboration among diverse groups.

viii.Ability to integrate gender and nutrition activities in the project implementation

cycle.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

A strategic thinker with a deep understanding of the technical and market dynamics within

poultry, horticulture, and honey value chains that aligns with a strong passion for

unlocking the potential of young people in agriculture.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit their CV and a one-page cover

letter detailing their suitability for the role to info@farmersunion.mw (copy

dkapolo@farmersunion.mw) with the subject line “Value Chain Development Officer

Application” by 15th December, 2025