Economic Development Officer: Agriculture Support

About the role

Kouga Local Municipality is advertising an external vacancy for an Economic Development Officer focused on agriculture support. The post covers planning, coordination and evaluation of agricultural development activities in the region, and includes work with rural business owners, farmers and investors. The advertised start date is 06 October 2026.

Key responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate and evaluate agricultural development activities in the region.
• Facilitate a Rural Development and Agricultural Support Programme and help rural business owners register as business entities.
• Evaluate key performance indicators against the municipality's Business and Strategic Plans (IDP).
• Present intervention frameworks and proposed programmes to the ED Manager and to community groups and local business meetings.
• Provide training to rural communities, promote agricultural campaigns and organise agricultural institutions, forums and committees.
• Implement, monitor and evaluate agricultural programmes covering natural resource management, agribusiness and institutional development.
• Promote agriculture and rural development opportunities to entrepreneurs and investors, and assist businesses with applications to local, district, provincial and national programmes.
• Support attraction and retention of agricultural investment and guide food security issues in the region.
• Guide the drafting, adjudication and reporting of agricultural development matters, investigate new development projects, obtain quotes and prepare reports for the manager.
• Assist farmers with business plans, market development, financing, budgeting, marketing, technology and commercialisation.
• Connect companies with exporting opportunities and educate them on export value and better management practices.
• Establish partnerships between commercial and emerging farmers and the municipality, and develop a commonage management plan.
• Visit projects, take photos and videos, write progress reports, manage project implementation and prepare funding proposals.

Required profile

• Diploma or degree in Agriculture or Economics at NQF level 6/7.
• 3 years of relevant experience.
• Code 8 driver's licence.
• Ability to speak, read and write at least two of the official languages of Kouga Municipality (Afrikaans, English and Xhosa).

Required skills

• Computer literacy in office applications.
• Thorough knowledge of Local Economic Development planning and Local Government Sector processes.
• Excellent communication, report writing and presentation skills, attention to detail.

Salary: R373 129.02 per annum. Applications close on 16 October 2026.