Organizational Setting

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

The main aim of the FAO Representation in Cambodia is to assist government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO as an Accredited Entity (AE) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in partnership with Cambodia’s National Designated Authority (NDA)/Ministry of Environment (MoE) and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is implementing a project ‘Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)”. This adaptation project aims to enhance the climate resilience of farmers and local communities in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin (Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear and Oddor Meanchey provinces) through public-social-private partnerships and improved access to growing segments of premium agricultural product market while ensuring climate-resilient practices. The project targets four agricultural commodities: rice, mango, cashew nut and vegetables.

The component 2 of the PEARL project will bridge the current capacity and resource gaps faced by smallholder farmers and other small-scale local value chain actors in the target areas to adopt alternative practices for climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing. The project will use the certification schemes already operational in the country, including CamGap, GI, SRP, organic certification and HACCP, as the primary vehicles of transformation to develop market incentives around cashew, mango, organic rice and vegetables. The project will enable this market-led transformation through the implementation of a Farmer-led Agricultural Resilience Mechanism (FARM) to assist smallholder farmers organized in cooperatives and other farmer organizations in acquiring technologies and infrastructure assets that are essential for adopting climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing.

The Technical Adviser (Agribusiness and Value Chains) is recruited as component 2 lead.

The position is located in the FAO Representation in Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

Reporting Lines

The Technical Adviser (Agribusiness and Value Chains) reports to the Senior Project Officer (SPO) and works under overall supervision of FAO Representative (FAOR) in Cambodia. He/she receives technical guidance from the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) based in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and relevant units at FAO headquarters.

Technical Focus

The Technical Adviser (Agribusiness and Value Chains) takes the lead in the planning and implementation of all activities under project’s component 2 with focus on market-led transformation, creation of an enabling environment for efficient and inclusive agricultural value chains, strengthening adoption of climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production and processing, ensuring technical delivery of the expected outputs and outcomes under component 2.

Key Results

Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support technical cooperation-related programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions

• Leads the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned technical cooperation-related programmes/projects; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies priorities, liaises with relevant parties; identifies follow-up actions.
• Coordinates technical cooperation activities and programme-related activities, reviews the assessments of issues and trends for their implementation and leads the preparation of impact evaluation or equivalent studies.
•  Supervises preparation of various written outputs, e.g. background papers, analyses, substantial sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications.
• Contributes to consultative and other meetings, conferences, including proposals for agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
• Participates in activities such as structuring of training workshops, seminars; makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Leads field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties.
• Provides advice regarding the development of policies and strategies related to technical cooperation, as well as regional, subregional and national protocols and guidelines for projects with specific domains related to FAO’s work.

Specific Functions
• Plans and leads the multidisciplinary team in project component 2 in order to achieve the planned project outcomes of component 2.
• Facilitates and oversees the development and operationalization of inter-value-chain-actors roadmaps at the provincial level and action/business plans for climate-resilient, inclusive and gender-responsive premium value chain development.
• Oversees and implements the innovative climate adaptation asset acquisition mechanism (FARM) including but not limited to:
• contributing to the preparation of technical specifications and procurement packages in consultation with beneficiary groups and procurement of identified assets and technologies;
• ensuring that inputs, equipment, technical assistance and services are provided to qualified agricultural cooperatives and other farmer groups in an efficient and in a timely manner;
• providing technical support to and overseeing the development and implementation of crop-specific action plans/business plans by agricultural cooperatives and other farmer organizations;
•  providing capacity building for producer groups, agricultural cooperatives and other farmer organizations to start and manage agri-business enterprises.
• Liaises with key value chain actors (agribusinesses such as traders and processors) in the relevant value chains in order to support the building and consolidation of appropriate partnerships such as contract farming or other structures to organize sustainable and inclusive value chains.
• Identifies and promotes innovative, cost-effective technologies for climate-resilient agriculture and value chain development in the project areas.
• Contributes to the development of knowledge products and awareness campaigns in support of small agribusiness enterprises, agricultural marketing and value chain development.
• Ensures compliance with social and environmental safeguards and ensures the adequate integration of environmental aspects, gender equity, Indigenous Peoples and youth participation into project implementation.
• Assists in preparation of quarterly, semi-annual and annual project component progress reports and identifies issues that require timely resolution and corrective actions and presents recommendations for improving performance.
• Represents the project and FAO in meetings, workshops and conferences related to agricultural value chain development.
• Carries out any other relevant duties as required in order to achieve the above tasks.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
•  Advanced university degree in agri-business management, economics, agricultural economics, development economics or related field.
• Seven years of relevant experience in agribusiness, value chain analysis and development, agribusiness and market development, agricultural marketing, processing, agricultural certification schemes.
• Working knowledge (proficiency – level C) of English and intermediate knowledge (intermediate proficiency – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building effective relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in one or more of the following areas: agricultural marketing; value chain development; agricultural investment; value chain analysis; business plan development and implementation for farmer organizations and small agribusiness.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in working with private agri-business (suppliers, traders, processors) and public sector actors.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in technical backstopping and leading multidisciplinary teams for technical project implementation.
•    Ability to plan and organize own work, deliver results and meet deadlines.
•    Experience in working and/or coordinating project activities with governmental organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other partners.
•    Extent and relevance of experience in the preparation and revision of technical documents and in organizing training events.
•    Ability to write clear and concise technical documents.