Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure 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. FAO Ukraine is seeking to increase the resilience of livelihoods to threats and crises that affect agriculture, food and nutrition, focusing on four major areas: - rural economic development - transition to sustainable agriculture and food production practices - adaptation to climate change - humanitarian assistance.
FAO Ukraine is the country office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a specialized agency dedicated to achieving food security, reducing rural poverty, and promoting sustainable management of natural resources. FAO Ukraine works in close partnership with the government, civil society organizations, private sector, and other UN agencies to address the diverse challenges and opportunities in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and environmental sectors. By providing technical assistance, policy advice, and capacity development support, FAO Ukraine plays a vital role in fostering sustainable agricultural practices, strengthening the resilience of rural communities, and enhancing food security and nutrition across the country.
The ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine has caused significant disruptions to agriculture. The degradation of soil quality and loss of productivity are some of the major challenges faced by farmers in the region. Conservation Agriculture (CA), with its principles of crop rotation, minimal soil disturbance, and permanent soil cover, offers a viable solution to restore soil health and improve agricultural resilience. FAO is committed to supporting these farmers by providing technical assistance to implement CA practices and enhancing productivity in these war-affected regions.
This role is home-based but may require field missions to and throughout Ukraine. The selected candidate should be prepared to obtain relevant medical clearance requirements to fulfil official travel requests.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of DRO/Ukraine Head of Office and the Head of Programme, the direct supervision of International Programme Coordinator, and in close coordination with the rest of the Mine Action and Land Rehabilitation Programme Team. The Extension Specialist in Conservation Agriculture will be responsible for providing technical assistance to grain farmers affected by the land warfare in east Ukraine.
Technical Focus
Conservation agriculture (CA) in grain and sunflower production is critical for restoring soil health and resilience in war-affected areas. The Specialist will focus on promoting CA principles—crop rotation, minimal soil disturbance, and permanent soil cover—by providing tailored training on three hands-on demonstration plots and showcasing successful productivity stories. This approach aims to support farmers by providing tailored training on three hands-on demonstration plots and showcasing successful productivity stories. The incumbent will support activities in the design and implementation of demonstration plots; training farmers in-situ; delivering online technical assistance; and monitoring and evaluation.
Tasks And Responsibilities
Specifically, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:
- Design and implementation of demonstration plots
- Advise farmers on implementing Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices in grain and sunflower production, by providing guidance on sowing sunflower under CA conditions, ensuring minimal soil disturbance, proper crop rotation, and permanent soil cover, while also supporting soil recovery and improvement techniques.
- Set up three demonstration plots in collaboration with local farmers to showcase practical applications of CA principles.
- Monitor the performance of the plots, document progress, and compare results to conventional farming practices.
- Engage local farmers in the management and observation of demonstration plots to increase awareness of CA practices.
- Farmers in situ training
- Provide on-site training sessions on each demonstration plot quarterly for farmers on conservation agriculture techniques, with a specific focus on grain and sunflower production systems.
- Develop and deliver context-specific training materials, including detailed manuals, visual aids, and other resources tailored to local needs and practices.
- Online technical assistance
- Offer remote technical assistance and backup to the project field agronomist and farmers through a weekly collection of technical questions, addressing practical challenges in implementing conservation agriculture practices.
- Respond to queries and provide expert guidance through online platforms, such as email, video conferences, and messaging systems.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Collaborate with the Ukraine-based team to monitor and evaluate the performance of demonstration plots and training programs, ensuring continuous learning and improvement.
- Analyze results from demonstration plots to refine curricula and provide feedback for future implementation strategies.
- Perform any other tasks as necessary.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
- University degree in Agricultural Engineering, Sustainable Agriculture, Agronomy, or a related field
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in agricultural extension services, with a focus on conservation agriculture and soil management
- Working knowledge (Level C) English
FAO Core Competencies
- Results Focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building Effective Relationships
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
- Ability to work and plan at strategic, as well as operational, levels
- Ability to work productively under pressure and to maintain high morale in difficult circumstances
- Strong knowledge to effectively use standard office software, such as MS Office (Windows, Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Exchange)
Selection Criteria
- Proven expertise in grain and sunflower production systems
- Experience designing and implementing farmer training programs and demonstration plots
- Advanced university degree is desirable
- Knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian is an asset
- Previous experience with the UN system or relation work for a donor organization, consulting company or NGO is a strong advantage
- Experience in humanitarian response including in the food security or nutrition sector is an asset
- Experience in capacity building, data management, and/or drafting guidelines or standards is an asset
Call For Expressions Of Interest - Vacancy Announcement
Job Posting
14/Jan/2025
Closure Date
04/Feb/2025, 4:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit
EUKR - FAO Representation in Ukraine
Job Type
Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition
Consultant
Grade Level
N/A
Primary Location
Home-Based
Duration
125 days over 11 months
Post Number
N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- 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.
