NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MARKETING COUNCIL (NAMC) VACANCIES

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL MARKETING COUNCIL (NAMC)

ECONOMIST: SMALLHOLDER MARKET ACCESS RESEARCH

Pretoria, Gauteng

Permanent

Closing Date 13 November 2026

Job Details

Division: MERC/Trade/Small Market Access/Agro-Food Chains

Minimum experience: Entry Level

Company primary industry: Agriculture

Job functional area: Other

Job Description

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• A four-year bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, or an appropriate three-year bachelor’s degree in Agriculture plus an Honours degree in Agricultural Economics.
• A master’s degree in Agricultural Economics will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of one (1) to two (2) years’ relevant experience in agricultural economics, agricultural research, agricultural market analysis or a related field.
• Experience in conducting research or analysis and disseminating-communicating research findings to stakeholders through reports, presentations or similar platforms.
• Experience in preparing and delivering presentations to community of practice via conferences, seminars, symposia, webinars or workshops will be an advantage.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Working knowledge of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, 1996.
• Basic understanding of the agriculture and agro-processing nexus.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of common agricultural, economic and statistical data sources, including Stats SA, Trade Map and FAO, and the ability to use data to support analysis and reporting.
• Working knowledge of analytical and reporting tools such as Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI.
• Working knowledge of statistical packages such as SPSS and/or STATA.
• Exposure to E-views, General Equilibrium Modelling Package (GEMPACK), Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP), General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS) will be an advantage.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of relevant government statutes, procedures and processes.
• Knowledge of basic value-chain analysis and report writing.
• Ability to contribute to analysis of shocks i.e. policy, domestic and global affecting the competitiveness of the South African agricultural sector.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to conduct evidence-based research and apply appropriate research methods to assigned work.
• Ability to extract, organise, analyse data, and present clear, cogent and coherent findings.
• Ability to build constructive working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and social partners.
• Ability to think logically, interpret information and provide clear research-based inputs.
• Ability to communicate research findings clearly through reports, presentations and appropriate dissemination platforms.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team with varying interests and demands.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and complete assigned work within agreed deadlines.
• Ability to assess information critically, identify issues and suggest practical solutions.
• Good time management and organisational skills.

KEY FOCUS AREA

1. Timely and quality smallholder market access research and reports

• Extract data from applicable and reputable databases or data sources, clean and organise the data according to required variables, and conduct analysis to support economic and developmental questions relating to smallholder market access and the implementation of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP).
• Use and maintain existing Excel, Power BI reports, and measures to support the preparation of month-to-month and year-on-year trends, rankings and other analyses required for Smallholder Market Access reporting.
• Contribute to the preparation and writing of research papers, peer-reviewed articles, reports, policy briefs and other research outputs, as guided by the Manager.
• Participate in the preparation and updating of reports within the Smallholder Market Access Research Unit, including fresh produce market intelligence reports, Agripreneur reports, SMAT reports, policy briefs, commentary articles and other communication outputs.
• Identify barriers to smallholder market access and alert these to the attention of the Manager for consideration and prioritisation.
• Undertake assigned research projects and activities within the Smallholder Market Access Research Unit, in accordance with agreed work plans and quality standards.
• Provide support and guidance to interns on assigned research activities, as required.

1. Stakeholder participation and management

• Assist with collaboration and cooperation with relevant organisations and stakeholders to promote access to markets by all participants.
• Communicate and disseminate research findings through appropriate platforms, including reports, presentations, policy briefs, seminars, webinars and workshops, as required.
• Attend and participate in stakeholder engagements at appropriate levels on matters relating to the Smallholder Market Access Research Unit, under the guidance of the Manager.
• Assist in maintaining and expanding relationships with relevant government departments, industry bodies and other stakeholders.
• Provide research and analytical contribution to cross-focus and cross-divisional activities, including economy-wide sector analysis, as required.
• Liaise with NAMC stakeholders, Directly Affected Groups (DAGs) and industry bodies as assigned by the Manager on matters relating to smallholder market access.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required for research and stakeholder engagements.

1. Assist management of Smallholder Market Access Research unit

• Assist to conduct assigned research projects related to the Smallholder Market Access Research Unit, with guidance from the Manager.
• Participate in collaboration and cooperation with relevant organisations to promote access to markets by all participants.
• Assist the Manager to conduct research on market access policies, strategies, programmes, and projects to support increased participation of smallholder farmers in the mainstream agricultural economy.
• Provide research and analytical contributions to the development, execution, and monitoring of the MERC Strategy, the Annual Performance Plan (APP), and Operational Plan (OP) as and when required.
• Undertake field visits and travel to engage with smallholder producers as required for assigned research activities.
• Provide technical and administrative support to the Manager when required.

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