Bees for Development Ethiopia (BfDE) is a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) registered under the federal democratic republic of Ethiopia in 2012 with the registration number of 2753.

BfDE envisions to see wealthy rural communities in Ethiopia, whose livelihoods are sustained through integrated apiculture and natural resources management. Its mission is to promote beekeeper friendly apiculture development in Ethiopia that is well integrated with sustainable natural resources management and knowledge development. Participation, pro-poor development, excellence, and sustainability are organisational core values.

Currently, the organisation in partnership with The University of Huddersfield (Lead), Ethio-Wetlands Natural Resources Association and Bees for Development UK is implementing a three-and half year project entitled “Forest conservation through traceable supply chain development for wild coffee and forest honey”, funded by Jersey Overseas Aid.

This project aims to support conservation livelihoods in the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot registered rainforests of south-western Ethiopia. Specifically, it tackles issues that are inhibiting development of enterprises based on forest-conserving wild coffee and forest honey. The project focuses upon the creation of sustainable supply chains, by introducing improved quality assurance and new traceability systems, as well as creating trade links between community enterprises and national and international buyers. As a result, community enterprises should receive premium prices for sustainably managed forest-conserving products, thereby demonstrating the economic value of the forests and providing financial incentives for communities to protect their forests and conserve the rich biodiversity. The project is underpinned by a commitment to strengthen Participatory Forestry Management (PFM) which is already established across these forests, which promotes local responsibility and institutional empowerment, sustainable economic development opportunities and biodiversity conservation. It works specifically with some of the poorest forest-fringe farmers and beekeepers in the region.

BfDE is looking for qualified Honey Marketing and Livelihood Officer for the project ‘Forest conservation through traceable supply chain Development for wild coffee and forest honey’ which is being implemented in Anderacha District of South West Ethiopia Region, Ethiopia.

Job summary

He or she is expected to work closely with Ethio-Wetlands Natural Resources Association (EWNRA) at the project site in the district and will report to the Senior Beekeeping Expert and Project Manager (Bees for Development Ethiopia) and Team Leader (EWNRA). The Honey Marketing and Livelihood Officer is responsible for implementing field based project activities such as beneficiary selection, facilitating technical trainings, strengthening and handling Forest Management Groups (FMGs), capacitating beekeepers through training and input provision, establishing and maintaining strong links between community enterprises and high value markets, deploying new traceability and quality assurance (QA) system, and perform monitoring, evaluation and learning. With other project staffs, the HML officer will conduct preliminary assessment, and other relevant data collection, data entry and reporting. S/he will provide technical assistance to beneficiaries on forest resource conservation, quality honey production, consolidation, storage, processing, and marketing. S/he will also adopt, test and learn innovative traceability and quality assurance (QA) system.

The position requires strong and field based experiences working with implementing partners, stakeholders, experts, smallholder farmers, and development agents who are working at the grassroots level. The post holder is required to have existing knowledge and connections to honey markets and their players. The post holder will manage private partners operating in his/her operational areas, be able to work with minimum assistance, be solution orientated and have a business and beekeeping background and the life and professional experience to work appropriately with SMEs and project partners.

Key responsibilities

• Facilitate and participate in project beneficiaries’ selection, training and technical assistance,
• Facilitate technical support for farmers on forest resource conservation, quality honey production, value chain analysis, traceability, QA systems, bee colony management, etc.
• Take a leading role in testing the prototype electronic traceability and quality assurance system being developed under the auspices of the project, provide feedback on its use, work closely with colleagues concerning is adaptation to wild coffee and participate fully in an iterative process developing and improving the system,
• Administer project inputs, manage proper handover to beneficiaries, and prepare reports.
• Develop professional relationships along the honey value chain, with beekeeping related input producers, suppliers, service providers, and buyers etc..,
• Support farmers to practice conservation based beekeeping in their conserved forests and encourage them to be part of the joint knowledge generating process,
• Collect field based data on a weekly basis, record other relevant data as presented in the research methodology and report to the Program Manager and Senior Beekeeping Expert,
• Implement field based activities such as trainings, field visits, discussion meetings, monitoring events, etc. in collaboration with local experts, development agents and smallholder farmers,
• Participate in regular planning and review meetings with the project staff and other stakeholders,
• Prepare and submit periodic activity performance and financial reports,
• Participate in documentation of lessons,
• Manage joint initiatives adaptively to identify what works (and what does not) and take successful initiatives to scale,
• Receive minor running costs, keep records for all transaction and produce regular financial report as per BfDE formats,
• Liaise the project with district and kebele level stakeholders such as agriculture, livestock, environmental protection offices and judiciary bodies.

Duty station: SW Ethiopia, Anderacha districts (frequent travel to project kebeles).

Employment duration: 1 year with possible extension based on performance.

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

• BSc/MSc degree in either of such fields: Apiculture, Animal sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Agroforestry or Forestry,
• Must have a minimum of 5/3 years relevant and practical experience (for BSc and MSc respectively) on quality honey production and management, quality assurance systems and traceability, non-timber forest products, agricultural extension, forest protection, biodiversity conservation, beekeeping development, agricultural marketing, agri-business, commercial farm business data collection in agricultural researches, and other related experiences,
• Experiences of working with Smallholder farmers, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Honey production, processing packaging and marketing, Honey quality assurance and traceability, Forest resource conservation, Non timber forest product management.
• Good knowledge of various honey quality assurance systems, traceability and branding,
• Must have strong analytical, planning, coordination, facilitation, record keeping, communication and reporting skills,
• Able to mobilize a team and also work with minimum supervision,
• Good command of English and Amharic, languages. Knowing the local language of the project area is an advantage,
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Email and other basic skills)
• Experience of using databases or excellent aptitude for learning new software, such as data collection and database management applications,
• Must have a motorbike driving licence.