Local Agronomist (Samegrelo Region)

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

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

Organizational Setting

The position is located at the FAO Representation in Georgia. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist governments 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.

The Local Agronomist will be recruited under the UTF/GEO/034/GEO-F project titled: “Formulation and design of Land Consolidation in Georgia (hereafter referred as “UTF Project”)”. The position will be focused on providing local support to the project in the selected pilot areas (village of Shavghele and possibly additional area in the vicinity).
The overarching goal of the project is to support the introduction of a fully operational land consolidation instrument in Georgia integrated with irrigation rehabilitation in the World Bank Georgia Resilient Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land (GRAIL) Project. The project is expected to contribute to future increased agricultural production and investments, more efficient use of land and of water for agricultural purposes, more dynamic agricultural land markets, improved access to credit, and improved access to land and strengthened land rights, including for women who own land alone or jointly with men.
Land consolidation in Georgia is expected to result in more efficient farm structures through reduction of land fragmentation and the voluntary facilitation of farm enlargement and in this way contribute to local agricultural development. Land consolidation is planned to be introduced in a multi-purpose approach, integrating the objective of agricultural development with additional public objectives related to nature, environment and climate change adaptation and mitigation depending on the situation in the project areas.
The project will result in a National Land Consolidation Strategy document, legal framework assessment for land consolidation, initiation of implementation of land consolidation pilot projects, initiation of country-wide multicriteria assessment for future land consolidation efforts and the initial development of technical and administrative capacity for implementation of land consolidation projects and management of a future national land consolidation programme.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall responsibility of the FAO Representative for Georgia, and the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator and National Agriculture and Land Management Specialist, and in close collaboration with all relevant units of the FAO Country Office in Georgia and international experts.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will provide technical support to the implementation of the UTF Project with focus on all land consolidation related activities.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Provide technical support for the successful implementation of the land consolidation pilot project under the GRAIL project in selected rural areas under the technical supervision of FAO and the operational supervision of the Head of the LMA Land Consolidation Unit.
• Support on the ground all matters related to the day-to-day implementation of the pilot project, including communication with local public authorities, landowners and farmers. Support community engagement and participation in land consolidation activities, building consensus, preventing conflicts, and promoting compromise.
• Under the technical supervision of FAO and the Head of the LMA Land Consolidation Unit contribute to the identification and inventory of all landowners and farmers in the pilot areas; conduct together with other LMA team members interviews with all landowners and collect additional data from secondary sources as needed.
• Contribute to the preparation of the Land Consolidation Feasibility Study Report for the pilot area, including analysis of agricultural situation in the pilot areas and assessing its potential.
• Support the land valuation process.
• Participate in the land re-allotment process.
• Support alignment of land consolidation activities with agricultural support programmes and Government policies to incentivise participation and ensure the engagement of landowners and farmers.
• Support local stakeholder consultations, adoption of the Land Consolidation Plan, and its subsequent registration and implementation.
• Contribute to the development of the National Land Consolidation Programme under the GRAIL Project, based on pilot experiences.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Agriculture, Land Management or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in agronomy, horticulture, plant product ion or protection, amelioration or soil management. Any knowledge of land consolidation will be an asset.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.
• National of Georgia.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Computer literacy with spreadsheets, databases, data and analytical information management, Microsoft Office programs
• Excellent communication and coordination skills

Selection Criteria

• Proven experience with mobilizing and working with rural communities and farmers.
• Proven experience working in multi-disciplinary teams and large-scale development projects will be an asset.
• Strong understanding of the agricultural sector, Government policies and support programmes. Familiarity with land
• governance and land tenure systems.
• Strong understanding of farmer’s basic production conditions.
• Experience working with international organizations, government agencies and development partners is an asset.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.

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

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application

• 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/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

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