Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) 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. RAP also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organization’s Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies.

The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture, and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

Reporting Lines

The Innovation for Agrobiodiversity and Food Systems Specialist will work under the overall direct supervision and guidance of the Agriculture Officer and the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) of the projects being implemented under the Plant Protection and Production Module at FAO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Technical Focus 

The Innovation for Agrobiodiversity and Food Systems Specialist will provide support in developing project-related services to support the delivery of programmes, projects, products, and services implemented in the Plant Production and Protection Module framework. The technical focus of the projects to be backstopped will be in line with agrobiodiversity conservation and utilization, agrifood systems transformation, crop production and crop protection, including but not limited to food security, agriculture-based livelihood, climate resilient agriculture, capacity building of the government counterpart, and farming communities’ projects.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) Agriculture Officer (Plant Production) , the specialist will undertake the following duties:
•    Support LTO and PMO in implementation of ongoing GEF projects on Better Production for the Asia and Pacific region, including project inception, work plan drafting and monitoring as well as to speed up the delivery of the projects GCP/CPR/065/GFF and GCP/INS/803/GFF .
•    Support the formulation of concept notes of GEF9 in target countries in RAP in focal areas of agrobiodiversity, land restoration, and climate changes related to food systems transformation.
•    Collaborate extensively with national governments, research institutions, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders to provide inputs on GEBs, CBD, GBF, UNFSS, and UNFCCC, and promote best practices on BD, ILM, CCM and GAP, in the country’s context across the Asia-Pacific region.
•    Support capacity-building efforts through organizing training workshops, seminars, and knowledge-sharing platforms focused on innovative transformation of food production systems and agroecological landscapes, in the country’s context across the Asia-Pacific region.
•    Review and analyse status, challenges, and opportunities of conservation in both in situ and ex situ conservation of agrobiodiversity in the region including Indonesia and China.
•    Review and analyse status, challenges, and opportunities of utilization of agrobiodiversity in the region including Indonesia and China.
•    Review and analyse status, challenges, and opportunities of farm-based landscape and ecosystems degradation and restoration in the region including Indonesia and China.
•    Undertake regional expert consultative workshops/meetings to validate main findings derived from abovementioned studies.
•    Prepare and finalize policy briefs, recommendations and reports derived from the abovementioned studies to promote the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems in the region including but not limited to China and Indonesia.
•    Analyse and stocktake environmental and socioeconomic benefits including potentials of mitigating GHG emission of opportunity/emergent crops (underutilized and neglected species) in the region.
•    Participate in a study “Investing in emergent/opportunity crops to anticipate need for food system transformation”.
•    Provide technical support to the identification and formulation of new GEF projects in the Asia-Pacific region.
•    Attends relevant meetings and functions as required, ensuring alignment and coordination with the LTO.
•    Undertakes additional tasks as necessary to support the overall objectives of Better Production in the RAP region.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in agrifood systems, biodiversity, ecosystems, environmental management, environmental policy and economics, or other relevant areas.
•    Minimum 5 years of work experience in GEF project formulation, implementation and management, programs related to agri-food systems transformation and biodiversity in the region.
•    Working knowledge of at least one FAO language: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Work experience in climate-smart and nutrient-dense crops and seed systems in favorable and dryland agriculture research and development programs.
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly as field positions are desirable.
•    Experience working with a wide range of partners, including international and national organizations, government counterparts, research institutions, UN organizations, and the private sector.
•    Extended experience and knowledge in development work and institutional policy in the plant production and post-production sectors.
•    Extent and relevance of knowledge associated with the development, implementation, and monitoring of international instruments and good practices and with the work of international organizations and national governments.
•    Demonstrated experience in designing, collecting, and analyzing technical information and data.
•    Experience preparing, editing, and revising technical/scientific documents and organizing meetings and workshops.

Selection Criteria

•    Intermediate knowledge of a second FAO language will be considered an asset.
•    Experience working with a wide range of partners, including international and national organizations, government counterparts, research institutions, and the private sector.