Thematic Expert- Agribusiness at Busara Center

Purpose of the Role

The Agribusiness Expert brings agribusiness expertise in Uganda to assess current approaches, outcomes, and gaps, and recommend actionable strategies to strengthen youth employment and enterprise development across agricultural value chains. The expert will help Busara & Mastercard Foundation Uganda establish: 

• How trends in Uganda’s priority agricultural value chains (production, agro-processing, input supply, agri-logistics, and agri-trade) are impacting youth employment opportunities where YAW Uganda is active.
• The extent to which the current YAW Uganda strategy, partnerships, and investments are positioned to respond to and capitalize on these trends.
• Opportunities, risks, and gaps in the strategy’s agribusiness positioning, and practical, prioritized recommendations to strengthen it.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Review relevant YAW strategy documents, reports, and results data of the Uganda Agribusiness implementing partner (Heifer International), and the wider Mastercard Foundation Africa strategy.
• Conduct key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) and consultations with Mastercard Foundation staff, program youth participants, implementing partners, agribusiness and agro-processing firms, farmer organizations, financial-sector actors, government counterparts (e.g., Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries [MAAIF]; National Agricultural Research Organization [NARO] and others).
• Map current trends in Uganda’s priority agricultural value chains relevant to youth employment, including on-farm production, agro-processing, input supply, agri-logistics, agri-trade, and access to agricultural finance; and benchmark against relevant agribusiness and youth employment strategies in East Africa.
• Assess the extent to which current programs address critical agribusiness challenges: access to land, inputs, finance, technology, markets, and climate-smart practices. 
• Assess the agribusiness relevance and positioning of YAW Uganda’s current partner portfolio and flagship interventions, including alignment with national agricultural policy priorities.
• Identify barriers and opportunities for youth participation in high-growth agricultural sub-sectors (e.g., horticulture, dairy, coffee, poultry, aquaculture, agro-processing), to strengthen agribusiness outcomes, including potential new partnerships, delivery models, priority value chains, or areas of focus.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of agribusiness training, mentorship, and linkages to finance and markets. 
• Produce a strategic review report with findings (including an agribusiness analysis chapter), recommendations, and a prioritization framework for dissemination to Busara and Mastercard Foundation/YAW stakeholders.

Indicative Deliverables

• Inception report with methodology and work plan.
• Technical input to the Strategic Review Questions relating to Agribusiness indicators. 
• Desk review synthesis input on Agribusiness models relevant to the Implementing Partner’s sector and geography. 
• Administering Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with Implementing Partner leadership, agribusiness officers, and relevant ecosystem actors (sector regulators and associations). 
• Technical analysis notes on agribusiness outcomes and linkage to finance and markets. 
• Interim findings presentation to Foundation team.
• Final report (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) including executive summary, agribusiness analysis chapter, recommendations, and a prioritized action matrix.
• Drafted sections of the final Strategic Review report covering agribusiness outcomes, systems contribution, and related recommendations. 
• Participation in sensemaking and validation sessions with the Mastercard Foundation and the relevant Implementing Partner, as required.

Required Qualifications

The expert should possess

• An advanced degree in agribusiness, agricultural economics, rural development, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8-10 years’ demonstrated experience in agribusiness strategy, value chain development, or agricultural programming in Uganda. 
• Strong understanding of Uganda’s agricultural and agribusiness landscape, including policy environment, relevant policies and regulatory bodies (e.g., MAAIF, NARO), priority value chains, agro-processing, agricultural finance, market dynamics, and youth engagement. 
• Proven track record conducting strategic reviews, evaluations, or advisory assignments for donor-funded or foundation-funded agricultural or agribusiness programs.
• Familiarity with youth employment and financial inclusion in agriculture preferred; familiarity with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy and youth employment programming is an added advantage.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, report-writing, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information for both technical and donor/board audiences.