National Agriculture and Agroforestry Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) advances the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems. This effort promotes better production, improved nutrition, a healthier environment, and enhanced livelihoods, ensuring no one is left behind.

The Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing, and implementing strategies and projects that drive the transformation of food, agriculture, and rural development. It also fosters and maintains relationships with subregional institutions.

The Subregional Office is a subsidiary of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP).

Resilient Islands, Resilient Communities’ project (GCP/KIR/009/GFF) is a five-year project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Kiribati Government.  FAO is the Implementing Agency (IA) and is providing the technical support to the Kiribati Government in implementing the project.  The Ministry of Environment, Land and Agriculture Development (MELAD), the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development (MFMRD), and the Island Councils are the main executing partners and national counterparts for the project.  The project will be working closely with other partners within the public and private sectors as well as with members of the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). The project aims to improve biodiversity conservation and landscape level management to enhance socio-ecological resilience to climate variability and change.

Under the overall administrative leadership of FAO Sub-regional Representative for the Pacific Islands in Samoa and under the direct technical guidance and supervision of the Technical Advisor (TA) as well as with close collaboration and consultation with relevant Government Ministries, the National Agriculture and Agroforestry Specialist will provide support to the government of Kiribati, through its Agriculture and Livestock Division (ALD) and in cooperation with other development partners, in the identification, preparation, implementation and supervision of agricultural; agroforestry and livestock programmes/projects. 

The National Agriculture and Agroforestry Specialist will assist ALD staff to promote incorporation of climate change considerations into agricultural; agroforestry and livestock strategies, policies, plans and programmes/projects and implementing related capacity development activities in the project areas. 

Reporting Lines

The National Agriculture and Agroforestry Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the Subregional Coordinator for the Pacific and the direct supervision of the Technical Adviser, in close consultation with the Director of the Agriculture and Livestock Division (ALD) under Kiribati Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD).

Technical Focus 

Provide support in technical implementation and coordination of agriculture and agroforestry GCP/KIR/009/GFF project activities in Kiribati, ensuring stakeholder engagement, financial oversight, data analysis, and policy support.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands and direct supervision of the project Technical Advisor, the National Agriculture and Agroforestry Specialist will work with the project team and Government of Kiribati to undertake the following duties:

•    Support technical reviews of agricultural, agroforestry and livestock programmes & projects with activities related to climate change and/or to incorporate climate change considerations into these programmes & projects. 

•    Support the analysis of current agricultural productivity including crop products grown, livestock raised, seasonality, market demand and returns; identify the trend in levels of productivity and/or rate of return in the project areas identified.

•    Assess the capacity of farmers and/or farmer associations in target areas to participate in the project, and propose capacity building measures for these stakeholders in agroforestry

•    Propose agroforestry activities to improve sustainable land management practices in the project sites, to reduce downstream impacts while also improving incomes and food security

•    Propose project activities to improve market access / develop business plans for agriculture, agroforestry, wood and non-wood agro-forestry products 

•    Support the review of national, and provincial policy and legislative frameworks around land tenure and land use planning (including the possibility of conservation/restoration set aside at project areas), agriculture; agroforestry and livestock production and sustainable management; identification of trends and opportunities for change;

•    Provide advice on what agriculture and/or agroforestry practices are the most resilient to climate change depending on the local context in the target project sites;

•    Provide advice on quality tree planting material for farmers;

•    Train and advice project beneficiaries (farmers, communities) on tree planting, bio-energy plantation establishment and maintenance operations; 

•    Support preparation of climate change mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes for funding by GEF through Letters of Agreements (LOA) under FAO modalities;  

•    Support overall planning to ensure implantation of activities related to agriculture and agroforestry (selection of beneficiaries, procurement of inputs) are timely initiated and effectively delivered to project beneficiaries within the project cycle;

•    Contribute to the identification of potential Risks (including potential reluctance and resistance among stakeholders and beneficiaries) and the formulation of mitigation measures; 

•    Participate fully in the formulation of Letters of Agreement and activities that contribute to sustainability of the project;

•    Facilitate and support all aspects of the project implementation with the project team including training, workshops, meetings, liaising with partners and stakeholders;

•    Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 

•    Academic degree in agriculture, livestock or agroforestry management, natural resources, land use planning or related field.
•    Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience in agriculture, livestock or agroforestry, planning and advisory services.
•    Working knowledge of English and Kiribati.
•    National of Kiribati.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Demonstrated technical experience and knowledge in undertaking agricultural related baseline survey and assessment work,   
•    Adequate knowledge of Kiribati ecosystems, their values and vulnerabilities and their legal and institutional foundations,
•    Ability to work as a member of the project team.
•    Efficiency, competence and integrity as well as negotiating skills, tact and diplomacy are essential.
•    Able to work with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural project partners at regional and international level;
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable.
•    Extent of knowledge of agriculture and agroforestry activities as well as FAO standard operational rules and procedures and project/programme administrative management procedures
•    Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with experience liaising between diverse project stakeholders.
•    Extent of knowledge of FAO’s corporate systems and database, or knowledge of other accounting or financial modules or applications relevant to accounting procedures or project budget management would be considered an asset.
•    Demonstrated analytical and judgment skills and ability to apply rules and regulations in the subject field.

Selection Criteria

•    Demonstrated experience in implementing agriculture and agroforestry activities in a small island developing states context, managing communication strategies, developing branding materials, and coordinating multimedia content for regional or international projects.
•    Ability in providing policy guidance towards development and implementation of agriculture and agroforestry related activities, projects and programmes.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION