Agricultural Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mission is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reduce rural poverty, and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. The Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) plays a crucial role in addressing regional priorities for food security, agriculture, and rural development, overseeing a network of Country Offices and implementing strategic initiatives in collaboration with various stakeholders.

Job Overview:
The Agricultural Officer position focuses on enhancing the practical application and institutional integration of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA), Conservation Agriculture (CA), and Sustainable Agricultural Land Management (SALM) practices in Moldova. The incumbent will assess current institutional capacities, identify operational gaps, and support improved coordination among national and local actors involved in sustainable agriculture. This role is pivotal in guiding the establishment and monitoring of CSA/CA demonstration plots and pilot interventions, ensuring the effective application of practices such as minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversified crop rotations. The officer will also provide hands-on technical support on soil health management and climate-resilient production systems, develop training curricula for Farmer Field Schools (FFS), and deliver training to extension agents and local specialists, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural practices across the country.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Agricultural Officer will conduct comprehensive assessments of institutional capacities and operational gaps within relevant agricultural institutions. Responsibilities include providing technical advice for integrating CSA, CA, SALM, and climate resilience into agricultural policies and strategies, guiding sustainable crop production practices, and advising on seed systems development. The officer will respond to technical assistance requests, support the identification and design of sustainable agriculture programs, and lead the establishment and monitoring of CSA/CA demonstration plots. Additional duties involve developing training materials for FFS, training facilitators and extension agents, ensuring proper documentation of FFS performance, and contributing to awareness campaigns and policy briefs on sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient technologies.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in agriculture, climate change, agronomy, horticulture, or a related field. Those with a bachelor's degree must have two additional years of relevant professional experience. A minimum of five years of relevant experience in agronomy, climate change, crop production, and seed systems is required, preferably with experience in the main crops of the region. Proficiency in English is mandatory, and knowledge of additional languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian is advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate strong communication and writing skills, experience in project management, and familiarity with climate risk management tools.

Educational Background:
An advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in agriculture, climate change, agronomy, horticulture, or a related field is required. For candidates with a bachelor's degree, two additional years of relevant professional experience are necessary to meet the educational requirements for this position.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of relevant experience in agronomy, climate change, crop production, and seed systems. Experience in the implementation of agricultural projects in the region is considered an asset. The role requires a strong background in project management at the field level and familiarity with climate risk management tools and early warning systems.

Languages:
Full proficiency or working knowledge of English is mandatory. Knowledge of additional languages such as French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, or Russian is considered a valuable asset for this position.

Additional Notes:
The job is remote, and the specific deadline date for applications is not specified. The position may involve working with various stakeholders, including national counterparts and extension services, and requires a commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practices. The role is expected to contribute significantly to the development of climate-resilient agricultural systems in Moldova.