Senior Agricultural Officer (Plant Production And Protection)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

• 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 persons 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 staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

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

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for Africa, (RAF), leads the implementation of FAO Strategic Framework and the Regional Priorities in Africa. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the region and - in collaboration with sub-regional offices, and divisions at Headquarters - develops, promotes, and oversees FAO's strategic response to regional priorities.

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.

The position is located in the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) in Accra, Ghana.

Reporting Lines

The Senior Agricultural Officer (Plant Production And Protection) reports to the Deputy Regional Representative, RAF and works in close functional contact with the technical divisions/offices and centres at FAO headquarters, especially the Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP), subregional offices, and country office teams.

Technical Focus

· Sustainable cropping systems, which encompass seed systems from the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, through plant breeding to seed delivery.

· Agronomics including the optimal use of natural resources and external inputs, irrigation, land preparation and sundry cultural practices;

· Plant health, with emphasis on integrated pest management (IPM) that incorporates host plant resistance and biopesticides while minimizing risks from chemical plant protection products;

· Innovations along crop value chains, such as sustainable agricultural mechanization, biotechnologies, protected cultivation, drones, sensors, and digitalization.

Key Results

Leadership and technical policy expertise for the planning, development and implementation of Regional Programmes of work, projects, products and' services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework and in alignment with the Organization's Gender Policy.

Key Functions

· Plans, manages or leads highly specialized or multidisciplinary teams; leads, coordinates, and/or participates in regional committees, project teams and working groups, and/or provides technical leadership/secretariat services on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.

· Analyses global and country specific requirements and relevant technical issues to provide critical input into the FAO Strategic Framework, Programme of Work, work plans and the supporting budgets and/or resourcing strategies.

· Implements and monitors programmes of work involving the development of the approach, evidence-based strategies and related tools, methodologies and the supporting system/database, monitoring and reporting frameworks.

· Conducts, designs and oversees research and analysis' activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovation, technical reports, publications and/or on-going programme development as well as the provision of technical and/or policy advisory services.

· Provides technical and policy advice to Members and technical support to Decentralized Offices in the development and implementation of their programmes.

· Leads and/or collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Members such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning and on-line tools.

· Represents the Organization at international meetings and conferences, identifies and implements strategic partnerships, advocates best practices and increased policy dialogue and develops and negotiates effective working relationships/consensus and agreements with international and national stakeholders.

· Leads and/or participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions

· Leads the development of interventions in RAF region that use modern crop production and protection systems to address Members' development needs relating, in particular, to climate change adaptation and mitigation; nutrition outcomes; and overall input use-efficiency.

· Promotes the use of modern agriculture technologies e.g. drones, remote sensors, artificial intelligence, digitalization, information technology, etc. that are context-sensitive to enhance the productivity and resilience of cropping systems while promoting sustainable agricultural mechanization; and efficient soil fertil