Company Profile

Farm Radio International (FRI) is a Canadian non-profit organization with a mission to support broadcasters in developing countries to strengthen small scale farming and rural communities. For detail information’s please visit our web site; www.farmradio.org.

Job Description

Background

• In Feb-Apr/2016, Farm Radio International will implement a small project for the Market Development in Northern Ghana initiative, designing an effective, viable program solution for this project, which can subsequently be tested, refined, scaled up and sustained in Northern Ghana. FRI is looking to engage a Lead Market Researcher and a Business Development Advisor as part of its team.
• The objective of this small project – Designing Sustainable Market-Oriented Farm Radio Programming in Northern Ghana – is to present a comprehensive sustainability plan for a viable, scalable communication program with the potential to reach large numbers of farmers in Northern Ghana with market-oriented information, communication and extension services using a combination of radio, mobile telephones, web-based tools and face-to-face interaction. Programming will be sustained on the basis of active listenership among farmers and collaboration and investment from key stakeholder groups, especially market actors.
• In order to ensure that the solution is relevant, appropriate and viable in the Northern Ghana context, FRI will conduct market research, looking at current broadcast and agribusiness market conditions and potential revenue streams; consulting with radio stations, market actors, stakeholder groups and potential private and public partners. FRI will also engage key groups to workshop programmatic and business elements of the solution. The findings of the research together with the results of the workshop will form the basis of the solution and a plan to pilot it in Northern Ghana.

Lead Market Researcher (LMR)

• The LMR will lead market research in key areas in order to identify a business case for market-oriented farm radio programming. The Research will look at program requirements of various stakeholders and potential revenue streams, current expenses and investment flows associated with information, communication and extension services and existing agricultural radio programming as well as unmet needs and opportunities.
• Informed by the findings of the market research, a viability plan will be developed, describing how broadcast partners, market actors and program users, in association with FRI, will sustain ongoing quality radio program services. Drawing on FRI’s social franchise model, research will consider a variety of potential revenue streams, including user-fees, advertising, segment sponsorship, and small project-based funding

Key responsibilities:

• Plan and conduct market research, leading a team of 2 research assistants, with FRI staff in a supporting role
• Research planning and design
• Desk research
• Field research in the 3 regions of Northern Ghana (2 weeks)
• Field research in others relevant regions for advertiser and other stakeholder  (1 week)
• Polling of farmers listening to radio programming in Northern Ghana using FRI’s mobile phone-based Uliza system (with support from FRI)
• Deliver a viability plan (business case) for effective agricultural radio programming based on market conditions and needs in Northern Ghana
• Synthesise research findings into a viability plan
• Validate the viability plan with key stakeholder group representatives in a workshop setting

Required Skills or Experience

• At least Masters in relevant fields
• Minimum of 8 years post qualification
• Rich experience in Market research and business plan development

Skills and experience:

• Research expertise, including the following methods
• In-depth interviews
• Semi-structured questionnaire methods
• Focus group discussions (FGD)
• Qualitative data analysis (interviews and FGDs)
• Quantitative data analysis (questionnaires and farmer polling)
• Knowledge of agricultural markets
• Knowledge of radio/media markets