INTRODUCTION

Agricultural enterprises (mostly small and medium-sized ones) do not get full access to all market information, especially predictive and analytical information. This is a major difficulty facing agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises while the economy is deeply integrating into the regional and world economies.

Via most mass media, agricultural and rural policy-related information is being disseminated to relevant subjects under different forms, both at central and local levels. However, this information mainly focuses on informing new policies, introducing policy beneficiaries, when and where the policy will be implemented in a top-to-bottom manner. Feedback from beneficiaries on the implementation of policies is less paid attention to and it mostly takes the form of opinions from single individuals or a few organizations.

Meanwhile, in several current policy advisory units like the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development (IPSARD), policy staff has been carrying out many studies concerning supports to agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises in a systematic and effective manner. These studies have not widely been publicized to all subjects yet.

In order to support the development of agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved a project "Study on policy recommendations to support for development of small and medium enterprises in agricultural sector" – phase II + III which is financed by Spainish government and assigned to IPSARD to perform. One of the goals set for current phase is to enhance capacity of communications to assist such businesses.

Division of Strategy and Policy Research is supported by the Project Management Unit to set up a group of commodity expert for market analysis and policy support for agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises inside and outside of IPSARD.

To fulfill these tasks, the Division is promoting to recruit the specialist who is responsible for providing market information on fertilizer with specific content and requirements as follows:

MAJOR DUTIES

- Making analytical reports on the fertilizer market which provide needed information for agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises.

- Directly reporting to Head of Division of Strategy and Policy Research

- Proactively and regularly coordinating the information collection network of the Division; participating in market research and surveys carried out by the Division.

MAJOR TASKS

1. Collecting, updating, processing data and information related to the fertilizer sector.

v Working on the market information network built by the Division: studying focal points, prices, information sending frequency, tracking and monitoring mechanism, etc.

v Entering collected data to the Division’s database.

2. Writing quartly reports on the fertilizer market.

v Making an outline for reports on the fertilizer market.

v Synthesizing market situation of fertilizer products in localities where the Division and Institute’s information network is set up, writing monthly reports which are then posted on their websites

3. Participating in market analysis, research, surveys carried out by the Division.

v Participating in market surveys upon the Division’s request

v Writing survey reports on the tasks performed.

v Participating in analysis of data and writing sum-up reports based on survey results

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

Submitting complete documents to the Division as follows:

v Writing a detailed action plan for the entire consulting period one week after signing the contract.

v Writing the monthly market report of fertilizer commodity of Vietnam and international markets

v Reporting survey results of sites surveyed upon the Division’s request

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCES

v Having a master degree inside or outside of Vietnam; majoring in: Economics, Trading, Foreign Trade, Financing, Marketing, Development economics, Agricultural economics.

v Having a good knowledge of social-economic situation, corporate financing (domestic or abroad)

v Understanding the market and policies for the agricultural sector.

v Being capable of analyzing data using basis tools: Excel, SPSS, Stata

v Being capable of analyzing and giving forecasts for the sector.

WORKING MECHANISM

Working time:

The expert is expected to start working from May 2011 to November 2011; 5 days per week and 8 hours per day.

Salary:

The expert will enjoy the monthly salary based on the EU-UN cost norm with income tax included.