Organizational Setting
FAO has secured funding from the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) to implement the project \"Accelerating Agri-Food System Transformation in the Asia-Pacific Region through Promoting Biodiversity Mainstreaming and Traditional Knowledge on Nature-Positive Food Production\" (TCP/RAS/4005). The project's goal is to strengthen institutional capacities and inform resource mobilization efforts toward biodiversity mainstreaming within and across agricultural sectors through enhanced national governance frameworks aligned with the specific needs and priorities of each participating country. Particularly, it is designed to support an in-depth analysis of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), targeting national contexts, identifying gaps, and proposing strategies for agrifood system transformation pathways. This approach ensures biodiversity mainstreaming in agricultural sectors based on diverse biophysical contexts and key agricultural sectors, benefiting Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
The main outputs of the project are:
โข ย ย National institutional capacities enhanced with tools and roadmap provided for mainstreaming biodiversity across agricultural sectors through national and/or sub-national governance frameworks, aligned with the objectives and targets of the KMGBF and agrifood system transformation pathways
โข ย ย Capacities of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) participation, with a focus on youth and women, in biodiversity mainstreaming across agricultural sectors enhanced
โข ย ย Strategies for accessing sustainable finance for biodiversity mainstreaming across agricultural sectors developed
For this purpose, FAO Sri Lanka is recruiting a National Specialistโ Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Agrobiodiversity to conduct a national gap analysis and develop a roadmap for biodiversity mainstreaming through agroecological assessments and zoning. The consultant will focus on conserving seed genetic diversity of underutilized crops, minimizing harvest losses from wild animal attacks, mitigating human-animal conflicts, and promoting sustainable capture fisheries and aquaculture. Local consultations will be conducted to document biodiversity-friendly best practices, resulting in at least one knowledge product on traditional nature-positive production. Additionally, the consultant will produce an information brief or infographic on agrobiodiversity, highlighting sustainable utilization of underutilized crops, harvest loss mitigation, and collaboration with IPLCs.
Reporting Lines
The National Specialistโ Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Agrobiodiversity will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programmes). He/she will work in close coordination with the Ministry of Environment, the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) team at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), and the Lead Technical Officer (LTO).
Technical Focus
โข ย ย National gap analysis and development of a roadmap for biodiversity mainstreaming
โข ย ย Knowledge products on agrobiodiversity, focusing on seed genetic diversity of underutilized crops, sustainable capture fisheries, and aquaculture
โข ย ย Documentation of traditional practices for nature-positive production
โข ย ย Promotion of sustainable utilization of nutrient-rich underutilized crops, minimizing harvest losses from wild animal attacks, and mitigating human-animal conflicts with IPLCs
Tasks and responsibilities
โข ย ย Support the FAO Representative, the TCP team at the FAO RAP, and LTO to ensure the overall management of the TCP at the country level.
โข ย ย Assist FAO to organize consultations with the government, FAO, and other counterparts to prioritize, supervise, and monitor the implementation of the country work plan and budget.
โข ย ย Support the implementation of the TCP at the country level in collaboration with local consultants from the FAO country office staff and national consultants, as needed.
โข ย ย Assist in coordinating relevant stakeholders at the country level to ensure effective communication and collaboration for the TCP.
โข ย ย Provide stock-taking findings and policy recommendations and developing a roadmap for biodiversity mainstreaming in Sri Lanka based on agroecological assessments and zoning. This will focus particularly on the conservation of seed genetic diversity of underutilized crops and their sustainable use in an integrated landscape context, minimizing harvest losses due to wild animal attacks and mitigating human-animal conflicts, as well as promoting sustainability in capture fisheries and aquaculture.
โข ย ย Work with the RAP regional LTO team to develop two knowledge products:
1. ย ย A knowledge product (Video) on agrobiodiversity, with a focus on seed genetic diversity of underutilized crops and their sustainable use,ย
2. ย ย A knowledge product (Video) capture best practices of agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge on biodiversity-friendly agriculture practices, particularly focusing ย Kandyan home gardens.
โข ย ย Support conducting workshops, meetings, round table discussions relevant to TCP.
โข ย ย Collaborate closely with national consultation processes for the revision of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and the development of national targets.
โข ย ย Support the organization of local consultations ย to capture biodiversity-friendly best practices from Sri Lanka.
โข ย ย Work with the RAP biodiversity investment specialist (to be recruited) to develop a concept note for accessing financing based on the findings of the national gap analysis, local consultation results, and spatial zoning studies.ย
โข ย ย Contribute to regional knowledge exchange in a timely manner.
โข ย ย Support the ย National consultant - concept note preparation, ย to develop a concept note to access financing based on the findings of national gap analysis, with a focus on transforming agri-food systems to become nature positive, with special reference to conservation of biodiversity and resilient for climate change
โข ย ย Support monitoring and reporting of progress and achievement of results and participate in technical discussions.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements ย
โข ย ย Advanced university degree in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or any other relevant subject.ย
โข ย ย A minimum of 5 years of experience in the fields of Agriculture, Environmental Science, and Natural Resource Management, with experience working on international donor-funded projects such as the GEF, Adaptation Fund, or the GCF, preferably in the Asian region.
โข ย ย Working knowledge of English and in Sinhala and/or Tamil. ย
โข ย ย National of Sri Lanka or resident in the country with a valid work permit.
FAO Core Competencies
โข ย ย Results Focus
โข ย ย Teamwork
โข ย ย Communication
โข ย ย Building Effective Relationships
โข ย ย Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skillsย
โข ย ย Familiarity with effective use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Windows, Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point).
โข ย ย Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholder groups.
โข ย ย Strong analytical skills and experience in developing technical reports - undertaking research, primary and secondary data collection, analysis and report writing.
โข ย ย Ability to work/deliver independently with minimal supervision. ย
Selection Criteriaย
โข ย ย Experience in working with government, regional and international development agencies.ย
โข ย ย Extent and relevance of experience in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management
โข ย ย Extent of experience in technical report writing.
โข ย ย Experience in coordinating and liaising with industry, academia, national authorities, UN agencies, donors, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
โข ย ย Familiarity with the UN System and /or development sector will be considered an asset.