Agro TechnoPark Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) is responsible for leading FAO’s response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAO’s priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities. FAO in Belarus (FAOBY) supports the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in sustainable agricultural development, food security, natural resource management, and rural development through technical assistance, policy support, and capacity building initiatives.

The Government of Belarus has prioritized the digitalization of the agri-food sector through key national initiatives, including the State Programme “Agrarian Enterprise” (2021–2025) and the State Programme “Digital Development of the Republic of Belarus” (2021–2025). As part of these efforts, several Technology Parks have been established to support the agricultural sector by promoting the adoption of digital technologies through activities such as educational seminars, fairs, and technology demonstrations.

The FAO “Enhanced digital technology adoption among smallholder farmers” (TCP/BYE/4003) project aims to assess and analyze the current capacities of TechnoParks, understand the specific needs of smallholder farmers, and develop strategic recommendations with the objective to enhance the capacity of TechnoParks (especially agriculture-focused TechnoPark Gorki) to facilitate adoption of digital technologies among smallholder farmers. Additionally, FAO will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus in conceptualizing a digital education platform for farmers, based on a thorough analysis of their needs.  

Reporting Lines

The specialist will report to the Head of Digital Agriculture and work in close coordination with national consultants.

Technical Focus

FAO is assisting the Government of Belarus in strengthening the capacity of agricultural TechnoPark Gorki to drive digital transformation and innovation among smallholder farmers. The consultant will assess the current capacities of Gorki TechnoPark and other relevant institutions and provide actionable recommendations on how Gorki can better promote digital technology adoption, entrepreneurship, and innovation in agriculture.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the close guidance of the Head of Digital Agriculture and in close coordination with national consultants, the Agro TechnoPark Specialist will contribute to Output 1 of the project “TechnoParks's capacities are strengthened to stimulate digitalization, innovation and technology adoption by smallholder farmers” and be assigned the following tasks and responsibilities:   
•     Liaise with FAO, government agencies, TechnoParks, and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate engagement and collaboration. 
•     Review and finalize existing methodology and data collection template to assess the capacities of TechnoParks;  
•     Guide the national consultant and participate in conducting field visits and stakeholder interviews with TechnoPark representatives, government officials, private sector partners, and farmer organizations.  
•     Oversee the compilation of findings into a comprehensive assessment report, identifying key strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement of TechnoParks. 
•     Develop evidence-based recommendations to strengthen TechnoParks' capacities and improve their service offerings for smallholder farmers, taking into account practices from Russia, Kazakhstan, and other CIS/EAEU countries. Recommendations should include among other: a) proposals for sustainable business models; b) examples of public–private collaboration mechanisms; c) approaches for improving linkages with universities and research institutions; d) options for integrating TechnoParks into broader national, EU and EAEU digital initiatives. 
•     Review findings from a survey conducted by a service provider aimed at assessing the digital technology needs, capacities, and barriers for adopting digital technologies among smallholder farmers of Belarus and embed them into the developed recommendations for the TechnoParks. 
•     Supervise and provide technical guidance to the national consultant, ensuring alignment with project objectives and methodological consistency.  
•     Select and prioritize one of the recommendations for pilot implementation at \"Gorki\" TechnoPark, create a plan and oversee its implementation. 
•     Conduct backstopping missions to the country to assess the status of TechnoParks, deliver validation workshops to present the recommendations for strengthening the capacities of the TechnoParks.  

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Business Administration, Agricultural Science, Social Science, Computer Science, Rural Development, Economics or a related field; Consultants with bachelor's degree need two additional years of relevant professional experience.
•     At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in digital agriculture, innovation systems, integration of technology, rural development, and related fields. 
•     Working knowledge of English and Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Proven experience working with Technoparks, innovation hubs, digital service providers, and similar structures aimed at fostering technology adoption and supporting rural stakeholders.
•     Background in developing policy recommendations and strategies to support digital transformation in agriculture.
•     Experience working with Technoparks, innovation hubs, or similar institutions in the CIS or EAEU region is an advantage.
•     Ability to work with government agencies, private sector, and farmer groups to achieve collaboration. 
•     Ability to identify gaps, design improvement strategies, and provide advice on scalable models to strengthen agricultural innovation support mechanisms.
•     Experience in mentoring national consultants or local staff. 
•     Strong understanding of digital agricultural technologies, including their enablers and barriers to implementation in rural settings among smallholder farmers. 
•     Strong skills in drafting high-quality technical reports, policy briefs, and recommendations. 
•     Expertise in designing data collection tools, survey methodologies, and interview guides.