Climate Resilient Agronomist

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• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
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FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Pakistan focuses on poverty reduction, food security, sustainable livelihoods, and rural development. FAO has partnered with the Government of Pakistan on research, training, extension services, and strengthening staff capacity in planning and policy-making.

With support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and co-finance from Punjab and Sindh provincial governments, FAO Pakistan is implementing the “Transforming Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management” project in Punjab and Sindh. The project aims to develop national capacity to cope with climate change impacts on agriculture and water management.

It works for farmers’ adoption of climate resilient agriculture and water management technologies at scale through an established network of Farmers Field Schools (FFS) and mainstreams climate change adaptation into ongoing agricultural and water management initiatives.
• Component 1 develops national capacity by integrating climate and water analytical tools.
• Component 2 transforms farmer practices through training on Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) and On-Farm Water Management (OFWM).
• Component 3 bridges actors to promote climate change adaptation.

Project activities are described in the project Funding Proposal on GCF website:
https://www.greenclimate.fund/document/transforming-indus-basin-climate-resilient-agriculture-and-water-management

The project is now in an extended phase until with new approaches, emphasizing the translation of climate, water and agriculture data, information and tools into management actions, dissemination of agro-climate advisories and early warning at scale with digital tools, and gender-responsive interventions.

To implement this vision, the project seeks to recruit a Climate Resilient Agronomist for Punjab, to be based in Multan. S/he will contribute to the project goal and objectives by ensuring that all CRA interventions are technically sound, contextually appropriate, adopted at scale and institutionalized for sustainability.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Pakistan, direct supervision by the project Technical Advisor and in close coordination with the International FFS Specialist/Component 2 lead, Provincial Coordinators and Project Team.

Technical Focus

Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA), practices and technology transfer, including identification of climate resilient crops, varieties and sustainable key inputs; Agro-climate information, advisories and early warning; Agricultural extension, including developing effective training methods and modules and delivering training for FAO, government staff and FFS facilitators as well as coaching farmers in the field

Tasks and responsibilities:

Technical Support and Advisory

• In close collaboration with the FAO District Team Leaders and PMU experts, design, support and supervise the implementation of a climate-resilient and market-oriented production programme of high-value crops, identifying climate resilient crops, varieties and sustainable supply of key inputs.
• Support the District teams with specific knowledge and advise on all aspects of the designed market-oriented crop development, including field and horticultural crops, seed production, tunnel farming, homestead gardening, vegetables seedling production, fruit tree nursery development, etc.
• Liaise with relevant departments of Provincial Governments, research institutions and other technical assistance projects to ensure coordination and collaboration required for implementation of the Project's crop production interventions.
• Provide technical backstopping to Farmer Facilitators and government extension staff on all CRA practices relevant to the cropping systems of the province (cotton-wheat, rice-wheat, sugarcane, high-value vegetables, and homestead gardens).
• Develop recommendations on the design, site selection, installation and management of adaptive research plots for improved crop production as part of the Project's FFS programme.

Farmer Field School (FFS) Programme Support

• Guide and supervise the Project's Farmer Field School (FFS) programme for adaptive research and participatory learning of new and improved technologies and practices to increase crop production of participating farmers), including curriculum development, training of master trainers and FFS Facilitators, implementation and monitoring of FFSs.
• Develop, follow up and monitor the implementation of Farmer Field School activities. Supervise the sound implementation of the FFS days and field demonstrations.
• Ensure the integration of CRA and OFWM practices into FFS curricula for both CBFS and WOS.
• Support the establishment and management of demonstration plots for adaptive research, ensuring that CRA practices and OFWM practices are correctly demonstrated.

Training and Capacity Building

• Ensure the inclusion of training/capacity building on the use of climate, water and agriculture information.
• Develop effective training methods and modules and deliver training for participating farmers in the field and capacity building for FAO and Government staff.
• Facilitate and participate in capacity building events and trainings on selected CRA practices, facilitation skills, farmer training curricula, OFWM, use of ICT, and monitoring methods.
• Train Farmer Facilitators and government extension staff on CRA and OFWM practices through Training of Trainers (ToT) and refresher courses.
• Contribute to the development of training materials, manuals, handouts, and visual aids on CRA and OFWM practices in local languages (Urdu, Sindhi).

Demonstration Plots and Adaptive Research

• Assist in identification and selection of farmers for each demonstration plot.
• Perform demo plot profiling and prepare profiling reports.
• Establish approved number of demo plots in selected locations using established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Apply SOPs for selecting demo plots and beneficiaries and obtain beneficiary consents for using selected lands for training purposes.
• Share the outcomes of adaptive research on a timely manner.
• Analyse collected data and draw conclusions on the impact of CRA practices in on-farm settings on costs, yields, profit margins and resilience vis-à-vis weather variability.

Agro-climate information/advisories and early warning

• Contribute to the development of information/advisories and messages to be disseminated to farmers, both through FFs and campaign/digital tools.
• Work with Communication Specialists and Provincial Coordinators to develop detailed collaborative workplans with ITC Agriculture Extension for the campaigns.
• Advise on the design and implementation of feedback mechanism(s), especially to document the extent to which farmers understand the advisories/messages and act on them.

Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation

• Closely work with district team lead and sectoral specialists for collection and compilation of all information related to CRA practices, economic analysis, and cost-benefit analysis data from the respective province.
• Assist district lead and sectoral specialist in the day-to-day monitoring of CRA interventions and compile monthly monitoring sheets (online/offline).
• Ensure timely submission of CRA work plans and progress reports (monthly, quarterly, and final) to supervisor.
• Document, report and develop database, based on the progress of trained beneficiaries' information.
• Identify and develop case studies and success stories for periodic reports.
• Assist in monitoring implementation of activities to achieve project outcomes.

Stakeholder Coordination and Policy Support

• Facilitate stakeholder meetings on establishing adaptive demo research plots in working locations and prepare meeting minutes.
• Liaise with the Agriculture Department (Extension, OFWM, Irrigation), private sector companies, input suppliers, and off-takers to strengthen market linkages for farmers.
• Assist in Component 3 development of enabling environment including through review of policies, rules and regulations for CRA practices adoption and scaling up.

Gender and Social Inclusion

• Ensure that CRA and OFWM training materials and demonstration activities are accessible to women farmers and marginalised groups.
• Support the establishment of Women Open Schools (WOS) and ensure that CRA/OFWM practices are adapted to women's needs (e.g., homestead gardening, small-scale irrigation, poultry integration).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advance University degree in plant/crop sciences, agronomy, climate smart agriculture
• 8 years of proven experience in Pakistan's agricultural sector, specializing in crops, marketing, with a minimum of 3 years in practical field experience in Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) and at least 5 years in training extension staff on Climate Smart Agriculture.
• Fluent working knowledge (reading, writing, speaking) of Urdu/Punjabi/Saraiki (for Punjab) or Sindhi (for Sindh),
• National of Pakistan.
• Women with agricultural background are highly encouraged to apply

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Practical knowledge of field crops, homestead gardening, Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA), community organization skills in arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones of Pakistan
• Track record experience in crop diversification, preferably in climate smart/resilient crops technologies and practices
• Ability to work with small farmers, farmers groups and Farmer Field Schools
• Deep knowledge of cropping systems in the Indus Basin (cotton-wheat, rice-wheat, sugarcane, high-value vegetables)
• Experience to develop technical material and messages from on-farm adaptive research demonstrations
• experience in developing manuals, curriculums and IEC materials for agriculture and climate smart enterprises
• Strong skills in report writing, data analysis, and documentation of field activities
• Good computer skills (word, excel, power point etc).
• Ability of working in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment and rural communities.
• Adaptability: Willingness to travel extensively within the province (to Tando Jam or Multan) and work in rural, multi-ethnic environments.
• UN Experience (desirable): Familiarity with UN systems, code of conduct, and resource management.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

HOW TO APPLY