Agri-Business Consultant

Mada Association is seeking a qualified Agri-Business Consultant to work under the CAFOD-funded project ‘Producers, Consumers and Civil Society for Greater Food Sovereignty in Lebanon’, implemented in partnership with Dikken el Mazraa and Nation Station.

With the goal to contribute to food sovereignty in Lebanon through an alternative, sustainable model, the project has three mutually reinforcing outcomes: (1) Small-scale farmers generate a fair income and vulnerable communities access locally produced, healthy food; (2) Linkages and fair interactions among value chain actors are strengthened; (3) Civil society groups (Dikken and Nation Station) working on alternative foods systems are able to remain operational and develop.

As part of the project, Mada is piloting a sustainable food model whereby: produce is purchased at a fair price from farmers who are being supported to shift to sustainable practices, which is expected to raise awareness that return on investment from less chemical inputs-intensive production and guaranteed sale at an equal or greater price is more attractive than conventional agriculture; leading to farmers allocating increasing portions of their plots to sustainable agriculture; leading to a growing production, which ensures more competitive prices, in turn allowing Dikken - that sells the products at subsidized prices - to increase sales, while rendering the products more affordable to communities and further encouraging farmers to produce, creating a self-reinforcing loop. The project is implemented with Farmers in Akkar and the Chouf regions.

Currently, the subsidization is possible because the project purchases the produce and covers also transportation to Dikken, but what Mada seeks to achieve eventually is the sustainability of the model, whereby Dikken is able to purchase the products at a fair price for the farmer, and still sell them at a fair subsidized price to consumers. The degree to which this will be successful depends on various factors including: (1) how much the subsidization required to achieve a win-win and fair price point will shrink, or be eliminated, by the end of the project through improved capacities (production, sales, etc.) of the value chain actors and stronger linkages/interactions among them; (2) whether farmers will continue to collaborate amongst each other beyond the project, especially on collectively transporting produce; (3) the extent to which consumers will grow interested in these products.

Purpose of the Mission

Through this mission, Mada seeks to determine the following:

• The farm gate value of selected products of farmers targeted under the project. This is the cost of production at the farm level (before transportation and marketing costs), which varies based on several factors and scenarios.
• The market value of selected products of farmers targeted under this project. This is the  cost of production in addition to the costs of marketing and transportation (collective versus individual; depending on various fuel scenarios).
• The fair price at which the products should be purchased from farmers for them to profit, maintain and even expand production.
• The possible subsidization level at Dikken (%) if this fair price is paid to farmers, and whether Dikken can directly purchase, while also profiting and providing a fair price to consumers.

Ultimately, this will determine whether it is possible to provide a fair price to farmers and to consumers at the same time.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

• Develop a tool to determine farm gate value (costs of productions) and the market value (farm gate value + transport and marketing costs) including variables and different scenarios.
• Coordinate data collection from farmers to determine the farm gate and market values using the developed tool.
• Analyze the data and provide a report with: (1) recommendations on fair price of products to the farmers; (2) recommendations on the subsidization levels possible at the Dikken level given the collected and analyzed data on farm gate and market values;

Main Deliverables

• Farm gate and market value tool
• Analysis report

Minimum Qualification and Experience

• Advanced degree in Agri-Business or relevant fields
• At least 5 years of experience in agri-business, food markets, value chain programs, business development, or related fields 
• Experience working with smallholder farmers
• Data analysis, research skills, and reporting
• Time management, good organizational skills, ability to be flexible
• Excellent excel skills
• Experience working with NGOs on development projects is a plus
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, 
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic