Chief Agricultural Economist (Agropoles) at the African Development Bank (AfDB)

African Development Bank (AfDB) – Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is 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). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Chief Agricultural Economist (Agropoles)


Reference: ADB/17/074
Location: Côte d’Ivoire

Grade: PL3

Position N°: 50091783


The Complex

• The Vice Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on two of the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.
• The complex objectives are (i) to develop, policy and strategy; (ii) provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions; (iii) develop new financing instruments; (iv) the Vice President will act as the spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”

The Hiring Department

• The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department works closely with the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department and the Regional Directorates to provide support for the delivery of Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa, 2016-2025.
• The core mandate of Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department is to develop the strategy of the Bank related to agricultural and rural finance and rural development, represent the Bank with external stakeholders, provide sector expertise to the regions by gathering experts who can be consulted by operations and closing the financing gap for private sector-led development of agricultural value chains.
• The Department is to mobilize and deploy the required expertise; and, provide support the design and implementation of agricultural finance and rural development operations for key commodity value chains. 
• The Agriculture Finance and Rural Development Department is structured into two Divisions: (i) Agriculture and Rural Finance Division; and (ii) Rural Infrastructure Development Division.

The Rural Infrastructure Development Division has the following deliverables:

• High-quality and Innovative Instruments for Rural Infrastructure Integrated into Projects
• Practical Implementation Arrangements with Key Implementing Partners
• Knowledge Management of Rural Infrastructure Best Practices
• Enabling Environment and Alliances with Key Stakeholders
• Monitoring of Performance and Recommendations for Corrective Actions

The Position

• The Chief Agro-Economics coordinates Agropoles and Agro-Industrial Zones and assists in the implementation of Feed Africa: Strategy for Agricultural Transformation in Africa 2016 – 2025. Feed Africa contributes to the fulfilment of the African Development Bank’s vision – as defined in its Ten Year Strategy and amplified in the High 5 Initiatives – of being the lead development financial institution in Africa, dedicated to providing quality assistance to Regional Member Countries in their economic growth efforts. 
• The Strategy seeks to transform African agriculture through 18 priority value chains and five agro-ecological zones.
• The transformation will require a set of seven enablers:
  • Increase productivity by catalyzing the development of effective input distribution systems and reduction in post-harvest waste and loss;
  •  Realize the value of increased production by facilitating increased investment into output markets and supporting market incentives for value addition;
  • Increase investment into enabling infrastructure, both hard and soft infrastructure;
  • Create an enabling agribusiness environment with appropriate policies and regulation;
  • Catalyze capital flows  (especially commercial lending and private investment) to scale agribusinesses;
  • Ensure inclusivity, sustainability and effective nutrition beyond what the market may deliver otherwise;
  • Coordinate activities to kick start transformation, align activities and investments of different actors, and guide initial activities to the point where private sector actors can be crowded in

• The Agropoles and Agro-Industrial Zones Initiative is one of the flagship programs identified in the Agricultural Transformation in Africa Agenda which seeks to support or create agro-industrial clusters: a concentration of producers, agro-industries, traders and other private and public actors engaged in the agri-food industry and inter-connecting and building value networks, either formally or informally, addressing common challenges and pursuing common opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the general supervision of the Director, Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department and working in close collaboration with the Division Managers and Task Managers, the Agropoles and Agro-Industrial Zones Coordinator will coordinate the development and implementation of Agropoles and Agro-Industrial Zones in the Bank’s Regional Member Countries.