Agroforestry Consultant

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of individuals who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger and improving security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security. WFP is recognized for its efforts and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its work in combating hunger and promoting peace. The organization values diversity and inclusion, ensuring that all employees are treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their background or identity. WFP is committed to providing a supportive work environment that fosters personal and professional development through various training and mentorship programs, as well as opportunities for internal mobility across its global offices.

Job Overview:
The Agroforestry Consultant will be instrumental in integrating multi-layered agroforestry systems (SAFs) into the Women-Adapt project in Côte d’Ivoire's Poro Region. This role emphasizes land rehabilitation, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. The consultant will facilitate farmer-to-farmer exchanges, lead the design and implementation of regenerative agroforestry practices, and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) through advanced technologies such as satellite imagery and polygon mapping. The consultant will also oversee community mobilization, capacity building, and technical training, focusing on participatory planning and local ownership. This position requires collaboration with government partners, NGOs, and technical experts to scale agroforestry interventions, leveraging lessons learned from similar projects in West Africa. By aligning land restoration efforts with agroforestry practices, the consultant will contribute to reversing environmental degradation, enhancing food security, and creating resilient landscapes for vulnerable communities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design and Implementation of Agroforestry Systems: Develop and oversee the implementation of multi-layered agroforestry systems (SAFs), including syntropic agroforestry, tailored to local agroecological conditions and project objectives. Conceptualize new SAF designs based on community preferences using tools like Canva to ensure visually accessible and participatory planning approaches. Lead nature-based solutions (NbS) land rehabilitation initiatives incorporating soil and water conservation technologies, such as trenches, contour plantations, windbreaks, and watershed management. Establish flagship SAF demonstration sites, ensuring scalability and sustainability across additional villages in the Poro Region.
• Community Engagement and Capacity Building: Facilitate farmer-to-farmer exchanges to promote knowledge sharing and participatory approaches to SAF and land restoration practices. Conduct technical training sessions for WFP staff, partners, and community members on SAF methodologies, sustainable land management, and climate resilience techniques. Promote local ownership through participatory planning and active community involvement in all phases of implementation.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting: Design and implement robust M&E frameworks, leveraging satellite imagery, polygon mapping, and drone technology to track progress and assess impacts of SAF interventions. Prepare comprehensive reports, including diagnostic evaluations of SAF pilot areas and recommendations for scaling and replication.
• Stakeholder Coordination and Partnership Development: Collaborate with government entities, NGOs, and research institutions to align NbS and SAF activities with regional and national objectives for resilience and climate adaptation. Serve as the technical liaison for international agroforestry experts, ensuring seamless integration of best practices and methodologies into the project.
• Integration and Knowledge Sharing: Ensure alignment of NbS and SAF and land rehabilitation activities within the broader Women-Adapt project framework and GCF objectives. Develop and disseminate training materials, technical documents, and knowledge-sharing resources to facilitate regional scaling and replication of SAF interventions.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess a strong background in agroforestry and sustainable land management, with a proven ability to implement multi-layered agroforestry systems (SAFs). The candidate should demonstrate experience in facilitating farmer-to-farmer exchanges and participatory community planning. Technical training delivery on agroforestry and climate resilience practices is essential, along with monitoring and evaluation skills, including the use of satellite imagery, polygon mapping, and drone technology. Proficiency in design tools such as Canva or similar is also required. The candidate should have experience coordinating with government, NGOs, and research institutions, and possess field experience in West Africa, demonstrating cultural and ecological adaptability. Familiarity with Nature-based Solutions (NbS) approaches is crucial, as this role will require direct integration of SAF systems with land restoration activities.

Educational Background:
Candidates should hold an advanced university degree in Agriculture, Environmental Science, Sustainable Development, or a related field relevant to food security and land restoration. Alternatively, a first university degree combined with additional years of related work experience and/or relevant trainings or courses may be acceptable.

Experience:
A minimum of 3 years of related experience is required, with practical experience in implementing multi-layered agroforestry systems (SAFs), including syntropic agroforestry. The candidate should have a demonstrated ability to facilitate farmer-to-farmer exchanges and participatory community planning, as well as deliver technical training on agroforestry and climate resilience practices. Experience in monitoring and evaluation, particularly using satellite imagery, polygon mapping, and drone technology, is essential. Field experience in West Africa is highly desirable, along with familiarity with Nature-based Solutions (NbS) approaches.

Languages:
Fluency in both English and French is mandatory for this position, as effective communication in these languages is essential for collaboration and training purposes. Proficiency in additional languages relevant to the region may be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
This position is a full-time role with a contract duration that will be specified upon hiring. The position is based in Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire, and may involve travel to various project sites within the region. WFP offers an attractive compensation package, which includes benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development. The organization is committed to providing an inclusive work environment and encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds.