Farmer Field School-Farmer Business School Specialist (FFS-FBS Specialist)

Organizational Setting

This position is located in FAO Pakistan, based in Quetta. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, help to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The following position is at SB4 SC8 level.

Pakistan has been experiencing frequent natural disasters and non-coherent economic policies which has affected the overall economy specifically the agriculture sector and livelihood of the people. Outbreak of pandemic and locust attack has damaged agriculture crops and affected the food supply chain in Pakistan. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is supporting the Government of Pakistan at national and provincial levels through different analytical policy reports on food supply chain, food forecast livestock, forestry, fisheries and climate change. Similarly, a web-based data management system is under development for agriculture, food security and nutrition statistics in Pakistan. Through this system, support Government of Pakistan in monitoring food prices and supply chain through live dashboards will enable better planning and policy making.

There is currently a team working on different components to strengthen the food supply chain and enhance the food security in Pakistan. FAO Pakistan seeks a qualified professional with a strong analytical and quantitative capacity to contribute in the “Revival of Balochistan Water Resources Program (RBWRP)” funded by EU. This experience will provide wide scope of work as outlined below.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, direct supervision of the Senior Project Officer and in close coordination with concerned FAO colleagues, the FFS-FBS Specialist will perform the following tasks.

Technical Focus

Ensure the timely achievement of project activities, delivering high-quality results, and establishing and maintaining Farmer Field Schools (FFS), Farmer Business Schools (FBS), Farmer Climate Schools (FCS), and Ground Water Management Schools (GWMS) according to the required standards. He/she will be developing new curricula for each of these schools and providing coordination and support to partner organizations in their establishment and will offer technical backstopping to operate the target number of various farmer schools to enhance their practices, and facilitate ongoing project-related activities in the selected districts.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Supervise the establishment and effective functioning of FFS, FBS, FCS and GWMS in selected districts of Balochistan.
•     Develop and deliver training modules on modern farming techniques, business management, value addition, market linkages for participating extension workers and farmers (including livestock keepers, rangeland and water users).
•     Closely coordinate with the NGO partners for identification of beneficiaries and participants, with Academia for awareness raising and knowledge management activities, and with the TWG who may deliver the trainings as FFS Trainers.
•     Promote gender-sensitive approaches and inclusivity in the training and implementation process.
•     Conduct regular assessments and evaluations to monitor the impact and effectiveness of the established schools.
•     Collaborate with local authorities, agriculture & livestock departments, NGOs, and other relevant partners to ensure the successful implementation of the farmers’ schools.
•     Provide timely and accurate reports on the progress and achievements of the imparted trainings to the project management team.
•     Develop and adopt training materials and curricula for FFS and FBS (agriculture and livestock) programs to suit local contexts and needs.
•     Train and mentor farmers, extension workers, and local FFS Trainers (who are government professionals, university graduates, or other private resources) in a Training of Trainers (ToT) process on the various aspects of farming, entrepreneurship, and livestock management.
•     Provide technical assistance and advisory support to FFS Trainers, farmers and extension workers to address specific challenges and improve agricultural practices.
•     Facilitate exchange visits and study tours to expose farmers to successful models and best practices of, water management, agriculture and livestock in other regions.
•     Organize workshops, field demonstrations, and events to promote awareness, knowledge sharing and networking among participants.
•     Collect data, conduct surveys, and prepare periodic progress reports for the project management team and donors.
•     Assess the impact of the programs on farmers' livelihoods, income, and agricultural practices.
•     Manage field level interventions for establishment of Farmer Field Schools and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) sites.
•     Manage local level ToT for FFS Trainers, extension officers, staff and/or employees from partner organizations (entities) on various farmers schools and CSA.
•     Introduce and establish Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) initiatives.
•     Provide Backstopping to the Farmer Field School Facilitators, FFS Trainers and Team leaders.
•     Document and develop database, based on beneficiaries’ information and also to identify and develop case studies and success stories for periodic reports.  
•     Support entering and updating FAO FFS Facilitators and learner's data in Kobo database regularly to support Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Team to undertake pre and post monitoring of the FFS sites, learners and trainings offered.
•     Closely work with River Basin Team Leaders (RBTLs) and sectoral specialist for collection and compilation of all the related information.
•     Facilitate field level activities related to mobilization, formation and facilitation of FFS/CRA in the target villages in close coordination with Irrigation, Agriculture and Livestock departments.
•     Support Facilitators and RBTLs for maintaining a meaningful working relation with the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the relevant line departments for smooth implementation of the Farmers’ Schools.
•     Assist RBTLs and technical specialists in the day-to-day monitoring of established schools and sessions, compile monthly monitoring sheets (online/offline); ensure timely submission of monthly work plans and progress reports (monthly, quarterly, and final).
•     Monitor and evaluate the performance of facilitators during training sessions.
•     Provide constructive feedback and coaching to facilitators and FFS Trainers to enhance their facilitation techniques and address any challenges encountered during the training process.
•     Perform any other associated task as assigned by supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements   

•     Advance university degree in agriculture, rural development, agricultural economics, livestock management, or a related field.
•     Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in implementing Farmer Field Schools, Farmer Business Schools, or Farmer Climate Schools in similar contexts.
•     Working knowledge of the English language and working knowledge of Urdu and local languages (Pushto, Balochi, Brahvi) used in province. 
•     National of Pakistan

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Practical knowledge of farmers’ capacity building & community mobilization and development skills.
•     Participatory approaches for rural community development.
•     Strong analysis, report writing, facilitation and presentation skills.
•     Proficient in basic computer skills including MS Office.
•     Ability of working in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment and rural communities.
•     Understanding of the purpose and functions of technical programmes, operational guidelines and programme/project management procedures, preferably those adopted by the United Nations or FAO would be considered an added asset
•     Good knowledge of common administrative and financial rules and regulations.
•     Good knowledge of communication and documentation standards.
•     Display initiative and take responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and closely follow-up until successful outputs are achieved. 
•     Continue to seek new, innovative and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work assigned.
•     Proven expertise in modern agricultural practices, entrepreneurship, value addition, water management, rangeland and livestock management.
•     Experience in developing training materials, curricula, and conducting training programs for farmers and extension workers.
•     Familiarity with the agriculture and livestock challenges in Balochistan will be an added advantage.
•     Strong communication, facilitation, and report writing skills.
•     Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and teams.

Selection Criteria

•     Candidates will be assessed against the requirements listed above.
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION