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John Rachkara
Chief of Party at Mercy Corps, Expert in Market Systems Development
John Rachkara is an experienced market systems development practitioner currently serving as the Chief of Party at Mercy Corps for the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity.1 Here are some key details about his background and role:
Professional Experience
- Current Position: Chief of Party at Mercy Corps since July 20231
- Previous Roles:
Expertise
- 15 years of experience in market systems development1
- Worked across various market types including labor, commodity, service, rural, and urban markets1
- Experience in both stable and conflict-affected regions1
- Focus on agricultural and non-agricultural sectors1
Current Project
John Rachkara leads the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity, which is:
- A five-year, $49 million initiative funded by USAID1
- Aimed at facilitating economic recovery and growth in Northeast Nigeria1
- Impacting over 600,000 participants, including farmers, MSMEs, youth, women, and children1
Approach and Impact
- Takes a systems approach to create lasting changes in market incentives, rules, and norms1
- Focuses on catalyzing sustainable and transformative socio-economic change1
- Under his leadership, the project has created more than 9,000 jobs and mobilized approximately $11 million in loans and trade finance1
John Rachkara is known for his expertise in systems thinking and his ability to drive impactful change in East and West Africa.1
Highlights
Great Leaders benefit from seeking out diverse experiences, displaying deep curiosity, and knowing when to speak up. Some of the most innovative and creative people in history succeeded because they were versatile. The versatile leaders know how to go broad, when to go deep, and how and when to expand their range, make trade-offs, and find the right balance between professionalism and empathy. They are good at what they do but they also know how to break out of their comfort zones. They continually challenge themselves and their organizations. #JourneyofLeadership
Most genuine leaders want to perform at the highest possible level, which requires an intense degree of focus, commitment, and resilience.
